B 


istopical  ^  ^acts 


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Copyrighted  1895.  {  ) 


NIAGARA  FALLS,  N.   F.: 
Journal  Print. 


j  .  NIAGARA  FALI 

T  Journal  Pr: 


# 


/^^^/•/•^•/e^i/% 


I, 


LIBRARY   J 

SAt^  DIEGO      I 

mm  I  mil  Tf^ 


I^istorieal  0  Y'ciets 


A/MD 


OF    T« 


mm  FwiEB 


By 


I>AVir>    YOUJVO. 


NIAGARA  FALLS.  N.  Y.: 
Journal  Print. 


preface. 

The  Falls  of  Niaj^ara  are  among  the 

most  wonderful   works  of  nature,  and 

since    their  first  discovery  by  Father 

Hennepin  in  1678,  rich  and  poor,  high 

and  low,  kings  and  plebians,  have  done 

homage  to  this  wonder  of  wonders.     All 

nations   of  the    world    have   furnished 

their  quota  of  tourists  to  this  center  of 

attraction.     Consequently  many  stirring 

events  have  taken  place  in  this  vicinity ^ 

which  prove  the  old  adage  that  "  Truth 

is  stranger  than  fiction. "^     The  Niagara 

Frontier  is  rich  in  historical  facts,  many 

battles    having    been  fought  near   the 

boundary  line  in  the  early  days.      The 

writer,  who  has  lived  within  the  roar  of 

the  mighty  Cataract  for  more  than  half 

a  century,  is  well  acquainted  with  some 

of  the   incidents  herein  narrated,  and 

the  facts  contained  in  this  book  have 

been  secured  from  the  most  authentic 

sources.     The  book  will  be  found  very 

valuable  to  all  interested  in  our  Frontier 

History,  and  will  supply  a  want  long 

felt  by  the  traveling  public. 


^be  n^cigara   RiYJer, 


This  picturesque  river  extends  from 
Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  a  distance 
of  thirty-six  miles,  and  through  it  pas- 
ses all  the  waters  of  the  i^rreat  lakes  of 
the  west,  including  Lakes  Superior, 
Michipjan,  Huron,  St.  Clair  and  Erie, 
forming  the  largest  and  fiidest  body  of 
fresh  water  in  the  world.  It  has  a  fall 
from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Falls  of  68  feet 
on  the  American  and  78  on  the  Canadian 
side.  The  American  fall  is  160  feet 
high  and  the  Canadian  or  horse-shoe 
fall  is  150  feet  in  height.  From  the 
base  of  the  falls  to  Lewiston,  a  distance 
of  seven  miles,  there  is  a  fall  of  104 
feet :  and  from  Lewiston  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river  at  Lake  Ontario,  a  distance 
of  seven  miles  more,  there  is  a  fall  of  two 
feet,  making  a  fall  of  834  feet  from  lake 
to  lake. 

This  river  is  dotted  with  numerous 
beautiful  islands,  thirty  six  in  all,  the 
largest  of  which  is  Grand  Island  con- 
taining about  ^i©¥efi  thousand  acres  of 
land.  But  the  one  which  is  of  the  most 
interest  to  the  tourist  is  Goat  Island, 
which  divides  the  American  from  the 
Canadian  or  horse-shoe  fall,  and  is  now 
included  in  the  State  Keservation. 

As  the  river  is  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Canada, 
many  stirring  scenes  have  taken  place 
near  its  shores.  Numerous  and  bloody 
battles  have  been  fought  within  its 
vicinity.  For  more  than  a  hundred 
years  there  was  war  between  France  and 
England,  and  the  contest  did  not  cease 


until  17G3,  when  French  rule  in  North 
America  was  wiped  out.  So  that  from 
tlie  earliest  days  of  the  rule  of  the 
American  aborigines  to  the  close  of  our 
own  war  of  1812,  its  borders  have  been 
the  scenes  of  many  conflicts  and  of  deeds 
of  heroism  and  valor. 


^be   Griffin. 


Five  miles  above  the  falls,  near  the 
mouth  of  Cayuga  Creek,  is  a  village 
called  LaSalle,  so  named  after  LaSalle, 
who,  in  company  with  father  Hennepin, 
built  the  first  boat  at  this  place  that 
ever  sailed  on  the  great  lakes.  The 
boat  was  called  the  Griffin  and  was 
about  sixty  tons  burden.  It  was  early 
in  the  year  1678  that  the  work  of  build- 
ing this  vessel  began  under  great  dif- 
ficulties. The  savages  hovered  around 
the  ship  builders,  and  entered  the  camp 
with  a  lack  of  ceremony  rather  alarm- 
ing. They  refused  to  sell  their  corn, 
and  plotted  to  burn  the  vessel  on  the 
stocks.  Suffering  from  cold,  and  often 
from  hunger,  fearing  always  a  hostile 
descent  of  the  savages,  the  men  became 
discontented,  and  it  required  Father 
Hennepin's  utmost  endeavors  to  allay 
their  fears.  Meanwhile  LaSalle  was  at 
Frontenac,  whither  he  had  returned 
after  driving  the  first  bolt  of  the  brig- 
antine,  endeavoring  to  counteract  the 
efforts  of  his  enemies  who  were  spread- 
ing reports  that  he  was  about  to  engage 
in  an  extremely  dangerous  undertaking, 
enormously  expensive  and  yielding  but 
little  hope  of  his  return.  Their  rumors 
HO  alarmed  his  creditors  in   Quebec  and 


Montreal  that  tkey  seized  upon  his 
«tt*ects  there  aud  sold  them  out  at  grea4 
loss  to  him.  The  delay  whieh  would  be 
necessary  to  rectify  this  would  prevent 
the  success  of  his  expedition,  for  this 
year  at  least,  so  he  submitted  patiently 
to  his  misfortunes. 

At  last  the  ship  was  ready  and  his 
other  preparations  were  complete.  On 
the  seventh  day  of  August,  1679,  the 
sails  of  the  Griflin  were  spread  to  the 
winds  of  Lake  Erie,  and  making  fear- 
lessly for  the  midst  of  the  great  fresh 
water  sea,  they  descried,  on  the  third 
day  the  islands  in  the  western  end.  A 
storm  beset  them  in  Huron,  and  with 
the  usual  bitterness  of  the  followers  of 
great  explorers,  many  of  his  men  com- 
plained of  the  dangers  into  which  they 
had  been  led.  They  escaped  from  the 
storm,  however,  but  only  to  meet  with 
new  difficulties.  Their  first  object  was 
to  make  a  favorable  impression  upon 
the  Indians,  whose  friendship  was  so 
necessary  to  their  success  ;  but  this  task 
was  harder  than  they  had  anticipated. 
While  the  natives  received  and  enter- 
tained LaSalle  with  great  civility  and 
looked  in  wonder  at  the  great  wooden 
eanoe,  their  show  of  friendship  was 
more  politic  than  sincere,  and  produced 
no  effect  upon  their  future  conduct. 
Nor  was  this  the  only  disadvantage 
under  which  they  labored.  Fifteen 
men  had  been  sent  forward  to  collect 
provisions,  but  had  been  tamp- 
ered with,  and  had  squandered 
a  part  of  the  merchandise 
with  which  they  had  been  provided  for 
trading.  However,  Ijoping  that  some 
w(mld  prove  faithful  to  their  trust,  a 
belief  which  later  events  justified,  they 
continued  on  their  course. 


6. 


On  his  way  across  the  lakes,  LaSalle 
marked  Detroit  as  a  suitable  place  for 
a  colony,  gave  name  to  Lake  St.  Clair, 
planted  a  trading  house  at  Mackinaw, 
and  finally  cast  anchor  at  Green  Bay. 
Here,  to  retrieve  his  fortune,  he  col- 
lected a  rich  cargo  of  furs,  and  sent 
back  his  brig  to  carry  them  to  Niagara. 
But  unfortunately,  the  brig,  with  the 
cargo,  was  lost  on  her  way  down  the 
lakes,  and  no  reliable  information  was 
ever  obtained  of  her  fate. 


The  old  Stone  Ghi"^"€:j/'. 


On  the  American  side  of  the  river, 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  above  the 
falls,  there  is  still  standing  an  old  chim- 
ney as  a  relic  of  scenes  of  strife  in 
days  that  are  past  and  gone.  This 
chimney  stands  on  land  now  owned  by 
the  Cataract  Construction  Company  and 
within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  power 
house  of  the  great  tunnel.  We  under- 
stand they  intend  to  preserve  it.  It  was 
built  by  the  French  in  1750.  And  close 
by  are  still  marks  of  old  Fort  Schlosser. 
which  was  then  called  Fort  DuPortage. 
All  of  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
1759,  the  French  making  their  escape 
into  Canada  when  being  threatened 
with  an  attack  by  the  British  under  Sir 
Wm.  Johnson  who  had  just  captured 
Fort  Niagara.  But  this  chimney  was 
so  substantially  constructed  that  it 
passed  through  the  fire  unharmed. 
Soon  after  this  the  fort  and  barracks 
were  rebuilt  by  the  English  troops 
under  command  of  Captain  Joseph 
Schlosser,  a  German  who  served  in  the 


British  army  and  was  afterwards  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  died 
in  the  Fort,  An  oak  slab  on  which  his 
name  was  cut  was  standing  at  his  grave 
just  above  the  fort  as  late  as  the  year 
1808.  On  the  west  side  of  the  aforesaid 
chimney  are  still  standing  some  of  the 
surviving  trees  of  the  first  apple 
orchard  set  out  in  this  region,  and  as 
early  as  1796  it  was  described  as  being  a 
well  fenced  orchard,  containing  1200 
trees,  only  a  few  of  which  are  now  re- 
maining. The  building  which  was 
erected  by  the  English  to  the  old  chim- 
ney was  afterwards  used  as  a  dwelling 
house  by  different  persons,  among  whom 
w  as  the  late  Judge  Porter,  who  occu- 
pied it  in  the  years  of  1806,-7-8,  when  he 
removed  to  the  Porter  homestead  on 
Buffalo  street.  This  building  was 
afterwards  converted  into  a  tavern  for 
the  accommodation  of  visitors  to  the 
Falls  and  travelers  en  route  to  the  west, 
and  was  so  occupied  when  again  destroy- 
ed in  1813  by  the  British  who  made  a 
raid  on  this  side  of  the  river.  Some  of 
the  inmates  made  their  escape  by  hiding 
in  a  deep  ditch  running  through  a  large 
meadow  on  the  east  side  of  the  house, 
and  others,  thinking  to  make  their 
escape  by  way  of  the  orchard  on  the 
west  side,  were  met  by  the  Indians,  who 
lay  in  ambush,  and  were  either  killed  or 
taken  prisoner. 

Afterwards  another  building  was  put 
to  the  old  chimney  which  was  used  for 
a  farm  house  for  many  years,  in  which 
the  writer  had  the  pleasure  of  eating 
some  good  meals  that  were  cooked  in 
the  fire  place  of  the  "  Old  Stone  Chim- 
ney," which  has  withstood  the  storms  of 
nearly  150  years  and  passed  through  a 
fiery  ordeal  at  three  different  times. 


The  Hon.  T.  V.  Welch,  who  has 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  our  frontier 
history,  has  composed  the  following 
verses : 

Beside  Niagara's  lovely  stream 

An  old  stone  chimney  stands, 
In  winter's  blast,  and  summer's  beam. 

Above  the  river  sands ; 
Oft  on  the  hearth  in  childhood's  day, 

A  glowing  fire  was  made. 
And  in  the  summer  gray, 

'Round  the  old  stone  chimney  played. 

Chorus  :— 

Touch  not  the  old  stone  chimney; 

Our  grandsire's  long  ago. 
Their  youthful  bride's  beside  that  hearth. 

Loved  in  the  cheerful  glow ; 
Touch  not  the  old  stone  chimney, 

Where  the  red  man  used  to  dwell. 
Where  the  pioneer  and  his  sweetheart  dear. 

They  sleep,  they  sleep,  so  well. 

The  fire-light  fell,  on  the  children  there. 

And  youth  dreamt  in  its  blaze; 
And  gentle  wives,  and  daughters  fair. 

Sweethearts  of  other  days; 
Oft  since  that  day,  has  love  held  sway. 

And  plighted  hearts  and  hands; 
Beside  Niagara's  winding  way. 

Where  the  old  stone  chimney  stands. 

Chorus. 

Long  may  the  old  stone  chimney  stand 

Upon  Niagara's  shore; 
The  sons  of  France,  and  Britain's  band. 

They  battle  there  no  more; 
The  pioneer  and  sweetheart's  dear. 

Are  sleeping  on  the  hill. 
Where  lone  the  old  stone  chimney  stands, 

In  the  evening  gray  and  still. 

Chorus. 


^be  Gcimpaign    of  1759. 


It  is  not  the  iutention  to  give  a  com- 
plete historj^  of  the  French  and  English 
war,  but  simply  so  much  of  it  as  is  of 
local  interest  and  some  of  the  results. 
The  campaign  of  1759  had  for  its  object 
the  entire  reduction  of  Canada.  After 
the  disaster  of  Ticonderoga,  the  chief 
command  of  the  British  forces  was 
given  to  Gen.  Amherst.  The  army  was 
divided  into  three  parts,  exhibiting  the 
following  order:  The  first  division, 
under  Wolf,  was  to  make  a  direct  attempt 
upon  Quebec.  The  second,  under 
Amherst,  was  ordered  to  take  Ticonder- 
oga and  Crown  Point,  and  then  proceed 
uortherl}';  and  the  third,  under  Gen. 
Prideaux,  consisting  of  provincials  and 
ludians.  was  to  reduce  Niagara,  then  to 
go  down  the  St.  Lawrence,  and,  jointly 
with  the  second  detachment,  attack 
Montreal  Thus  the  several  detach- 
ments were  to  enter  Canada  by  different 
routes,  but  were  all  destined,  eventually, 
to  meet  before  Quebec,  and  it  was 
against  that  kej'stone  of  the  arch,  which 
sustained  the  French  power  in  America, 
that  that  the  grand  final  effort  was  to  be 
made. 

Prideaux  besieged  Niagara  on  the  1st 
of  July.  He  was  killed  on  the  15th  by 
the  bursting  of  a  24-pound  brass  mortar 
and  the  command  devolved  upon  Sir. 
William  Johnson.  The  French  and 
Indians,  numbering  about  1200,  came  to 
the  relief  of  the  garrisonaud  gave  battle 
to  the  English,  but  the  Indians  in  their 
alliance  deserted  them  in  the  heat  of  the 
engagement,  and  victory  was  declared 
in  favor  of  the  English.  On  the  25th  of 
July  the  garrison  consisting  of  600  men, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British,   who 


liL 


now  possessed  this  important  post,  bar- 
ring all  communications  between  the 
northern  and  southern  possessions  of 
the  French.  We  can  not  give  a  narra- 
tive of  all  of  the  different  battles  in  this 
campaign,  which  were  truly  important, 
but  simplj^  saj'  that  this  war  did  not 
cease  until  the  treaty  of  peace  was. 
declared  in  Paris  on  February  10th, 
17G3,  when  England  got  undisputed 
possession  (except  by  the  Indians)  ol 
the  whole  continent,  from  the  shores  of 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  frozen  norths 
and  from  ocean  to  ocean. 


Indian    Stpategj/", 


In  1763,  Pontiac,  a  sagacious  Ottawa 
chief,  and  a  former  ally  of  the  French, 
thought  that  if  the  English  could 
be  subdued  before  they  could  gain 
a  firm  foot-hold,  the  Indians  would 
again  be  lords  of  the  forest.  For  this, 
purpose  he  secretly  effected  a  con- 
federation of  several  of  the  north-west- 
ern tribes  of  Indians,  and  on  the  7th  of 
July  nine  of  the  British  forts  were 
captured  by  them,  which  were  all  of  the 
forts  west  of  Oswego,  excepting  Fort 
Niagara,  Fort  Pitt  and  Detroit.  Pon- 
tiac had  arranged  the  following  plans  of 
strategy:  At  Maumee,  the  command- 
ing olKcer  was  lured  forth  by  piteous 
entreaties  of  a  squaw,  who  feigned  to 
plead  for  a  wounded  man  dying  without 
the  fort,  and  he  was  immediately  shot 
by  Indians  in  ambush. 

At  Mackinaw,  a  more  important  post, 
the  Indians  had  gathered  by  hundreds. 
They  began  among  themselves  a  spirited 


11. 


game  of  ball.  One  of  the  two  parties 
who  played,  drove  the  other,  as  if  by 
accident,  towards  the  palisades  which 
inclosed  the  grounds  of  the  fort.  They 
came  on,  shouting  and  sporting,  and 
the  soldiers  went  forth  to  view  the 
game.  At  length  the  ball  was  thrown 
over  the  pickets,  and  the  Indians  jumped 
after  it  within  the  inclosure.  Then 
began  the  butchery.  The  soldiers  of 
the  garrison,  appalled  and  unprepared, 
could  make  no  resistance.  The  com- 
mander, Major  Henry,  was  writing 
within  his  room.  He  heard  tie  Indian 
war-cry,  and  the  shrieks  of  the  murder- 
ed; and  from  the  wind(^w  he  saw  four- 
hundred  savages  cutting  down  with 
their  tomahawks,  his  dearest  friends. 
He  saw  them  scalped  while  yet  in  their 
death  struggles,  their  necks  beneath 
their  feet,  or  their  heads  held  between 
the  knees  of  the  scalpers.  They  had 
already  taken  the  fort,  but  Henry  him- 
self, through  some  strange  perils,  es- 
caped to  relate  the  horrible  scene. 

Pontiac  chose  to  command  in  person 
at  Detroit,  that  post  being  regarded  as 
the  key  to  the  upper  countr3^  On  the 
6th,  the  Indians,  to  the  number  of  six 
hundred,  had  collected  in  the  woods 
around  the  fort.  In  the  evening  a  squaw 
who  had  been  kindly  treated,  betrayed 
to  Major  Gladwyu,  the  commander,  the 
designs  of  the  savages.  On  the  7th, 
Pontiac,  with  a  party  of  his  chiefs, 
I)resented  themselves  as  in  peace,  de- 
siring to  hold  a  council  with  the  officers 
within  the  fort.  They  were  admitted, 
but  to  their  surprise,  they  were  im- 
mediately surrounded  by  the  garrison, 
fully  armed.  Major  Gladwyn  approach- 
ed Pontiac,  and  lifting  his  blanket  found  a 
short  rifle  concealed  beneatli  it.  Thus 
unexpectedly  discovered,  Pontiac   him 


12. 


self  was  disconcerted.  The  Indians 
from  without  were  not  let  in:  but  the 
chief  escaped,  or  was  suffered  to  cfo 
forth. 

He  then  beseiged  the  fort,  holding  the 
garrison  confined  for  many  months,  and 
cutting  off  supplies  and  reinforcements. 
At  length  his  allies  grew  weary  of  war, 
and  peace  was  declared.  Pontiac  died 
three  j'ears  afterwards. 


J)e\?irs   ^ole  TVl^ssaere, 


The  Devil's  Hole  is  a  picturesque 
place  on  the  American  side,  about  a 
mile  below  the  Whirlpool.  It  is  here 
where  on  the  14th  of  September,  1703, 
the  Seneca  Indians,  smarting  under 
English  rule,  lay  in  ambush  for  a 
British  supply  train  on  its  way  from 
Schlosser  to  Lewiston.  And  as  the 
doomed  company  carelessly  filed 
along  the  brink  of  the  chasm,  a  mur- 
derous volley  was  fired  by  the  hidden 
savages,  who  then  sprang  forth  thirty  or 
forty  to  one  of  the  survivers,  and  but- 
chered them  with  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing knife.  Crazed  b}^  the  din  of  fire- 
arms and  the  yells  of  the  savages,  part 
of  the  teams  went  off  the  rocky  wall; 
aiul  even  the  men  in  some  cases,  rather 
than  1)0  hacked  to  pieces  on  the  spot  or 
roasted  at  the  stake,  flung  themselves 
from  the  clilf.  Among  the  latter  was  a 
drummer  boy  named  Mathews,  who  fell 
into  a  tree  top,  from  which  he  descended 
without  mortal  injuries.  It  is  said  that 
only  tliree  survived  this  savage  onset. 
John  Steadmaij,  who  commanded  the 
sui)ply  train,  st^eiug  the    fatal   snare  at 


13. 


the  first  fire  of  the  Indians,  spurred  his 
horse  through  the  leaden  hail  and  made 
his  escape,  reaching  Fort  Schlosser  in 
safety.  A  woanded  soldier  concealed 
himself  in  the  dense  evergreen  bushes 
tind  thus  escaped  the  knife  and  the 
hatchet;  and  the  drummer  boy  who  was 
saved  by  lodging  in  the  tree  top. 
These  were  the  only  ones  left  to  tell  the 
«ad  tale. 

The  firing  had  been  heard  by  the 
guard  jjosted  at  the  lower  lauding,  and 
suspecting  the  state  of  the  case  they 
hastened  up  the  Portage  Road.  The 
savages  had  time  to  complete  the  de- 
struction of  the  train  and  its  escort  and 
ensconce  themselves  again  in  the  bush- 
es, with  rifles  reloaded  and  tomahawks 
all  ready,  before  the  reinforcements 
reached  the  spot,  when  the  massacre 
was  renewed.  A  shower  of  bullets  from 
the  thicket  tore  through  the  close  lines 
of  the  detachment,  felling  more  than 
one  half  of  the  troops;  again  the  thirsty 
savages,  sallying  from  their  cover, 
swarmed  around  their  prey,  and  the 
scalping  knives  yet  dripping  with  blood 
from  their  latest  use,  were  bathed  anew 
in  human  gore.  Only  eight  men  es- 
caped with  their  lives,  who  bore  the 
horrible  tidings  to  Fort  Niagara.  The 
number  of  killed  is  variously  estimated 
as  being  from  80  to  250. 

The  little  rivulet  falling  into  the  glen, 
and  called  Bloody  Run,  first  became 
such  on  that  dreadful  day  when  its 
waters  were  crimsoned  by  the  butchery 
upon  its  banks.  The  passerby  now 
looks  from  his  carriage  down  the  gloomy 
pit,  which  yawns  close  beside  the  road- 
way, into  the  bristling  treetops  that  hide 
its  lowest  depths,  and  shudder  to  think 
of  the  situation  of  the  men  who  judged  it 
best  to  cast  themselves  into  this  deep 


14. 


and  ruo:g-ed  chasm.  Yet  one  who  made 
this  choice  long  outlived  every  other 
actor  in  this  awful  tragedy— the  drum- 
mer Mathews— who  died  in  Queen stou 
at  the  advanced  age  of  90  vears. 


^usearora     ReserY)ation. 


About  seven  miles  northeast  of  Niagara 
Falls,  is  situated  the  Tuscarora  Iiulian 
Reservation.  History  tells  us  tliat  in 
1712  the  Tuscaroras  and  other  Indians 
from  North  Carolina,  formed,  with  all 
the  subtlety  of  the  savage  character,  a 
plot  for  exterminating  the  entire  white 
population.  Having  kept  their  design 
a  profound  secret  until  the  night  fixed 
for  its  execution,  they  entered  the 
houses  of  the  poor  Palatines  of  Ger- 
many who  had  settled  on  the  Roanoke 
and  murdered  men,  women  and  child- 
ren, A  few  who  escaped  gave  the 
alarm  and  the  remaining  inhabitants, 
collecting  into  camp,  kept  guard  night 
and  day  until  aid  could  be  received 
from  South  Carolina.  That  colony  sent 
to  their  relief  600  militia  and  300  In- 
dians under  Barnwell.  Although  a 
wilderness  at  this  time  separated  the 
northern  from  the  southern  settlements, 
Barnwell  penetrated  it,  boldly  at- 
tacked the  Indians,  killed  300  and  took 
100  prisoners.  Those  who  escaped  fled 
to  the  chief  town  of  the  Tuscaroras, 
where  they  erected  wooden  breastworks 
for  their  security ;  but  here  Barnwell's 
troops  surrounded  them  and  they  at 
last  sued  for  peace.  The  Tuscaroras 
had  lost  a  thousand  men  in  the  course 
of  this  war  and  they  soon  after  left  their 


couDtry  aud  settled  in  Central  New 
York,  uniting-  with  the  Iroquois,  mak- 
ing the  sixth  nation  of  that  confederacy. 
During  the  struggle  for  American 
independence  part  of  this  tribe  joined 
the  British  forces  aiid  part  maintained 
a  strict  neutrality.  Such  of  the  Tus- 
caroras  and  Oneidas  as  had  allied  them- 
selves with  the  English  and  Hed  before 
the  arrival  of  Sullivan's  army  st)ught 
refuge  within  the  Britisli  garrison  at 
Fort  Niagara,  reaching  there  via  the 
Oneida  Lake,  Oswego  Lake  and  Lake 
Ontario.  During  the  early  part  of  the 
following  year  part  of  them  returned  to 
their  hunting-grounds  in  Central  New 
York  and  part  of  them  took  possession 
of  a  mile  square  on  the  mountain  range, 
which  was  given  to  them  by  the  Senecas 
who  owned  the  territory  there.  At  a 
later  period  the  Holland  Land  Co. 
granted  them  two  square  miles  adjoin- 
ing their  possessions  and  in  1808  they 
purchased  of  the  company  an  additional 
tract,  making,  in  the  aggregate,  7,620 
acres  now  in  their  possession.  The 
reservation  has  the  appearance  of  any 
other  agricultural  neighborhood.  The 
present  population  is  about  4G0,  fcAv,  if 
any,  looking  like  the  ''red  man  of  the 
forest"  of  whom  we  use  to  read  in  our 
schoolboy  days.  They  have  two 
churches — Presbyterian  aud  Baptist, and 
the  community  is  a  well  behaved  one 
with  few  exceptions.  The  Indian  chil- 
dren now  leceive  school  training,  and 
many  of  them  show  a  marked  degree  of 
intelligence,  and  an  aptitude  for  learn- 
ing. There  is  considerable  musical 
talent  among  these  Indians  and  the  Tus- 
carora  Band  has  played  in  some  of  the 
principal  cities  of  our  country  in  con- 
nection with  a  show  of  "Indian  Beau- 
ties," among  whom  were  some  Tuscarora 
maidens. 


IG. 


The  VOar  of  1812. 


The  reasons  for  the  war  withEno^laiid, 
as  stated  by  Mr.  Mudisou,  President  of 
the  United  States,  in  an  able  manifesto, 
were:  British  excesses  in  violating  the 
American  flag  on  the  great  highway-  of 
nations ;  the  impressment  of  American 
seamen  ;  harrassing  American  vessels  as 
they  were  entering  their  own  harbors  or 
departing  from  them,  and  wantonly 
spilling  the  blood  of  the  citizens  of 
America  within  the  limits  of  her  terri- 
torial jurisdiction;  issuing  orders  by 
which  the  ports  of  the  enemies  of  Great 
Britain  were  l)lockaded,  and  not  sup- 
porting these  blockades  by  the  adequate 
application  of  fleets  to  render  them 
legal,  and  enforcing  them  from  the  date 
of  their  proclamation,  in  consequence 
of  which  American  commerce  had  been 
l)lundered  on  every  sea,  and  her  pro- 
ducts cut  off  from  their  legitimate 
market :  emplo^nng  secret  agents  to 
subvert  the  government  and  dismember 
the  Union  -.  and  finally  encouraging  the 
Indian  tribes  to  hostility.  Still  the 
American  people  long  cherished  the 
hope  that  a  sense  of  justice  would  induce 
tlie  British  Ministry  to  bring  to  a  speedy 
and  honorable  termination  the  unfor- 
tunate differences  subsisting  between 
the  two  nations.  They  were  unwilling 
to  resort  to  the  ultimate  means  of 
redress  until  all  peaceful  measures  had 
been  exhausted,  and,  indeed,  so  tardy 
was  the  government  in  its  preparations 
for  war,  that  the  people  in  many  parts 
of  the  country  loudly  complained  of  its 
want  of  firmness  and  energy.  But 
delay  brought  no  redress.  Injury  was 
followed  by  indignity,  until  the  peace- 


17. 


fill  policy  of  the  Government  at  leno^th 
yielded,  and  on  the  18th  of  June,  1812, 
war  was  formally  declared  against 
Great  Britain  and  its  dependencies,  by 
the  Conufi-ess  of  the  United  States. 


Tfbe    Surrender  of   j^ull. 


Pretious  to  the  declaration  of  war, 
Gen.  Hull,  in  anticipation  of  that  event, 
bad  been  appointed  to  the  command  of 
a  large  and  well  furnished  army, 
intended  for  the  invasion  of  Canada 
from  some  point  near  Detroit.  This 
army  passed  Cincinnati  the  latter  part 
of  May,  left  Daj^ton  on  the  1st  of  June, 
arrived  on  the  Maumee  River  on  the 
30th  and  crossed  the  River  of  Detroit— 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada— on  the  12th 
of  July.  The  expedition  was  attended 
with  the  high  hopes  of  the  people,  the 
officers  and  the  men.  It  was  opposed 
by  no  superior  force,  and  when  in  front 
of  the  enemy  no  sound  of  discontent 
was  heard,  nor  any  appearance  of 
cowardice  or  dissatisfaction  seen.  On 
the  contrary  every  man  awaited  the 
battle  in  sure  anticipation  of  victory,  ex- 
pecting a  proud  day  for  his  country  and 
himself.  Notwithstanding  all  this  pre- 
paration, notwithstanding  the  superior- 
ity of  the  force,  and  notwithstanding 
these  vivid  anticipations  of  success  and 
glory,  the  entire  army  was,  without 
apparent  cause,  surrendered  to  the  de- 
mand of  General  Brock,  on  the  14th  day 
of  August. 

This  event,  so  unexpected  and  so  dis- 
astrous, filled  the  American  people  with 
consternation  and  mortification.     Indig  - 


18. 


nation,  grief  and  shame  alternately 
filled  the  hearts  of  the  honest  citizen 
and  the  patriot  soldier.  It  was  a  veil  of 
darkness  drawn  over  the  face  of  the 
country. 

Such  was  the  commencement  of  the 
war  of  1812,  unfortunate,  disastrous  and 
melancholy.  It  was  certainly  no  eu- 
couragement  to  those  who  soon  after 
commcr-nced  the  camimign  of  the  Niag- 
ara, where  bloody  fields,  brave  actions 
and  positive  achievements,  reanimated 
the  hopes  of  the  country,  and  gave  a 
durable  glory  to  the  American  arms. 


'^     YlaY>a\     Engagement. 


In  July  1812  Winfield  Scott  received 
the  commission  of  Lieutenant-Golouel 
in  the  2d  artillery,  (Izard's  regimeut), 
and  arrived  on  the  Niagara  frontier, 
with  companies  of  Towson  and  Barker. 
He  took  post  at  Black  Rock  to  protect 
the  navy  yard  there  established. 

Lieutenant  Elliott  of  the  navy  had 
planned  an  enterprise  against  two 
armed  brigs,  then  lying  at  anchor 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Erie.  For  this 
purpose  he  applied  on  the  8th  of  August, 
1812,  to  Colonel  Scott  for  assistance  in 
ofiicers  and  men.  Captain  Towson  and 
a  portion  of  his  company  were  dispatch- 
ed to  the  aid  of  Elliott.  The  attack  was 
successful.  On  the  morning  of  the 
ninth,  both  vessels  were  carried  in  the 
most  gallant  manner.  The  "Adams" 
was  taken  by  Captain  Elliott  in  person, 
assisted  by  Lieutenant  Isaac  Roach:  and 
the  "  Caledonia  "  bj^  the  gallant  Captain 
Towson.     In  dropping  down  the  Niag- 


19. 


ara  River  the  "Adams"  became  un- 
managable  through  the  occurrence  of  a 
cahn,  aud  drifted  iuto  the  British  chan- 
nel. She  got  aground  on  JSquaw  Island, 
directly  under  the  guns  of  the  enemy's 
batteries,  where  it  was  impossible  to 
get  her  off.  Captain  Elliott,  therefore, 
having  previously  secured  the  prisoners, 
abandoned  her  under  a  heavy  fire  from 
the  British  shore.  Then  ensued  an  in- 
teresting and  exciting  scene,  the  British 
endeavoring  to  retake  the  abandoned 
brig  and  Scott  to  prevent  them. 
The  enemy  sent  out  boats,  and  Scott 
resisted  them,  in  which  effort  he  was 
successful.  The  brig  was  recaptured 
and  held  until  she  was  subsequently 
burned  by  order  of  General  Smythe, 
who  had  then  arrived. 

As  for  the  ''Caledonia "  she  was  pres- 
erved by  the  extraordinary  efforts  of 
Captain  Towson,  and  afterwards  did 
good  service  in  the  memorable  and 
glorious  victory  won  on  Lake  Erie,  by 
the  gallant  Perry. 

Although  this  was  not  so  important  an 
engagement  as  the  capture  of  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  Guerriere,  under  command 
of  Captain  Dacres,  by  the  American 
frigate  Constitution,  commanded  by 
Captain  Hull,  which  took  place  off  the 
Grand  Bank  of  Newfoundland,  a  few- 
days  after  the  disgraceful  surrender 
of  Detroit,  yet  this  was  one  of  those  small 
but  honorable  enterprises,  of  which  many 
occurred  during  the  war.  which  should  be 
mentioned  to  the  credit  of  the  accors, 
and  as  an  example  to  those  who  here- 
after may  have  similiar  duties  to  per- 
form in  defence  of  their  country. 


20. 


The  I^attle  of  Queenston 
jgeigbts. 


In  the  beginning  of  October,  1812, 
Major-General  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer 
had  collected  together,  at  Lewiston, 
about  two  thousand  five  hundred  of  the 
New  York  Militia.  The  successful  en- 
terprise which  resulted  in  the  capture 
of  the  "Adams"  and  "Caledonia"  on  the 
9th  of  that  month,  had  given  such  an 
apparent  ardor  and  impulse  to  these 
troops  that  it  was  believed  impossible  to 
restrain  them.  Indeed,  the  troops  de- 
clared they  must  act,  or  go  home,  an 
alternative  which  imposed  upon  the 
General  the  necessity  of  some  active 
movement.  Accordingly,  he  planned 
an  attack  on  Queenston  Heights.  The 
troops  which  he  had  at  his  command 
were  the  New  York  militia  and  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  regulars  under 
the  command  of  Colonels  Fenwick  and 
Chrystie,  who,  with  Major  Mullaney, 
had  arrive  the  night  before  in  detach- 
ments from  Fort  Niagara  for  the  pur- 
pose of  joining  in  this  expedition.  The 
militia  were  raw,  inexperienced,  and  un- 
disciplined, circumstances  which  caused 
the  brunt  of  the  battle  ultimately  to 
fall  on  the  regulars,  and  its  final  loss. 

The  plan  was  to  throw  over  the  river 
two  columns  of  troops,  each  about  three 
hundred  strong.  One  was  commanded 
by  Colonel  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer, 
and  the  other  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Chrystie  The  detachments  of  Fenwick 
and  Mullaney  were  to  sustain,  in  the 
best  way  they  could,  these  columns. 
These  arrangements  were  made  on  the 
12th  of  October.     Late   in    the   evening 


21. 


of  that  day  Col.  Scott  had  arrived  by  a 
forced  march,  partly  by  water  and 
partly  through  mud  and  rain,  at  Schlos- 
ser,  two  miles  above  the  Falls  and  nine 
from  Lewiston,  with  a  view  of  joining 
in  the  contemplated  attack.  He  hast- 
ened to  Lewiston  and  volunteered  his 
services  to  General  Van  Rensselaer. 
They  were  declined  on  account  of  the 
jirraugements  already  made;  but 
with  permission  that  Scott  should 
bring  his  regiment  immediately  to 
Lewiston,  and  there  act  as  circumstances 
mig;ht  require,  and  opportunities  offer. 
This  permission  he  at  once  availed  him- 
self of,  and  arrived  at  Lewiston  with 
his  corps  at  four  o'clock  a.  m.  on  the 
13th.  Finding  no  boats  he  placed  his 
train  in  battery  on  the  American  shore 
under  the  immediate  command  of 
Captains  Towson  and  Barker,  and  when 
daylight  appeared  opened  an  effective 
fire  on  the  enemy. 

In  the  meantime  the  principal  move- 
ment, as  originally  planned,  had  gone 
on .  All  the  boats  which  could  be  col- 
lected were  employed  to  transport  the 
columns  of  Chrystie  and  Van  Rensse- 
laer. Unfortunately  the  boats  were 
insufficient  to  take  the  whole  number  at 
once,  and  the  passage  was  made  by  de- 
tachments. The  boat  in  which  Chrystie 
was  became  disabled,  was  mismanaged 
by  the  pilot,  and  finally  carried  out  of 
the  way  by  the  eddies  of  the  river.  He 
made  a  gallant  attempt  to  land  but  was 
wounded  and  had  to  return  to  the 
American  shore.  In  the  after  part  of 
the  engagement  he  returned  with  re- 
inforcements to  the  troops  in  Canada 
and  shared  the  fate  of  the  day. 

The  main  body  of  the  first  embark- 
ation, under  the  direction  of  Colonel 
Van  Rensselaer,    was    more  successful. 


22. 


Two  companies  of  the  13th  Regiment, 
with  other  small  detachments  of  the 
same  regiment,  were  able  to  land,  and 
were  successively  reinforced  from  time 
to  time  as  the  few  servicible  boats  to  be 
had  could  transport  them.  They  were 
landed  under  a  severe  fire  of  the  enemy. 
At  this  time  the  numbers  of  both  con- 
tending parties  were  small.  The 
British  force  was  composed  of  two 
fiank  companies  of  the  49th  and  the 
York  militia.  The  Americans  did  not 
number  much  over  one  hundred  com- 
batants. Notwithstanding  the  contin- 
ued cannonade  from  the  enemies  bat- 
teries this  small  force  formed  on  the 
bank  and  marched  steadily  forward. 

In  a  few  moments  this  fire  had  killed 
or  wounded  every  commissioned  officer, 
and  among  these  Colonel  Van  Renssel- 
aer himself,  who  received  four  severe 
wounds.  Notwithstanding  this,  he  sus- 
tained himself  long  enough  to  impart 
the  local  information  he  possessed  to 
other  officers,  who  had  in  the  meantime 
come  up.  In  leaving  the  field  his  last 
command  was  that  "all  such  as  could 
move  should  immediately  mount  the 
hill  and  storm  the  batteries."  This  or- 
der was  promptly  obeyed  by  Captain 
Wool,  on  whom,  as  then  senior  officer 
of  the  regular  troops,  the  command  de- 
volved, and  he  was  also  bleeding  from 
his  wounds,  but  distinguished  himself 
with  Captains  Ogilvie,  Malcolm  and 
Armstrong  and  Lieutenant  Randolph. 
These  brave  officers  stormed  the  heights, 
took  a  battery  composed  of  an  eighteen- 
pounder  and  two  mortars  half  way  up 
the  declivity,  and  were  soon  in  possess- 
ion of  the  highest  point,  called  the 
'mountain."  By  this  time  the  enemy 
were  beaten,  routed,  and  driven  into  a 
strong  stone  building  near  the  water's 
edge. 


23. 


Elated  with  their  success,  the  Ameri- 
cans had  fallen  into  disorder,  when 
they  again  beheld  300  of  their  foe,  ad- 
vancing under  the  intrepid  Brock,  the 
lieutenant-governor  of  Upper  Canada, 
who  had  just  returned  from  the  capture 
of  Hull  to  defend  the  Niagara  frontier. 
An  officer  raised  a  white  flag  in  toUen 
to  surrender:  Wool  indignantly  pulled 
it  down.  The  British  now  drove  the 
Americans  to  the  edge  of  the  incline. 
One  soldier  was  about  to  descend;  Wool 
ordered  him  to  be  shot:  but.  as  the 
musket  was  leveled,  he  returned.  Thus 
prohibiting  either  surrender  or  retreat, 
and  being  ably  seconded  by  his  officers, 
'he  rallied  and  led  on  his  troops  to  the 
attack.  The  British  in  their  turn  gave 
way,  and  retreated  down  the  hill. 
Brock,  while  attempting  to  rally  them 
in  the  midst  of  a  galling  fire,  was  mor- 
tally wounded.  His  party  no  longer 
attempted  resistance,  but  fled  in  disor- 
der. 

Exactly  at  this  period  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott  arrived  on  the  heights 
He  had  been  permitted,  as  a  volunteer, 
to  cross  the  river  with  his  adjutant, 
Roach,  and  assume  the  command  of  the 
whole  body  engaged.  On  the  Canada 
side  he  unexpectedly  found  Brigadier- 
General  William  Wadsworth  of  the 
New  York  militia,  who  had  crossed  with- 
out orders  Scott  therefore  proposed 
to  limit  his  command  to  the  regulars, 
but  the  generous  and  patriotic  Wads- 
worth  would  not  consent.  Scott  then 
assumed  command,  and  throughout  the 
movements  that  ensued  General  Wads- 
worth  dared  every  danger  in  aiding  the 
views  of  the  commander.  Keinforce- 
ments  having  arrived  during  the  previ- 
ous engagements,  the  troops  under 
Scott  now  amounted  in  all  to  three  hun- 


24. 


dred  and  fifty  regulars,  and  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  volunteers,  under  the  di- 
rection of  General  Wadsworth  and  Col- 
onel Stranahan.  These  Scott,  upon  the 
suggestion  of  Captain  Tatton,  drew  up 
in  a  strong  and  commanding  situation. 
The  object  in  view  was  not  only  to  re- 
ceive the  enemy,  but  to  cover  the  ferry 
in  expectation  of  being  reinforced  by 
the  whole  of  the  militia  at  Lewiston. 

The  interval  of  rest  was  short.  The 
first  gun  which  broke  the  silence  of  the 
morning  had  also  aroused  the  British 
garrison  of  Fort  George  eight  miles  be- 
low. Their  troops  were  instantly  put  in 
motion.  The  Indians,  who  had  been 
concentrated  in  the  vicinity,  sprang  in- 
to activity.  In  a  short  time  five  hun- 
dred of  these  forest  warriors  joined  the 
British  light  conii)anies  previously  en- 
gaged. A  new  battle  ensued.  The 
Americans  receiv<^d  the  enemy  with 
firmness  and  drove  them  back  in  total 
route. 

The  protection  of  the  ferry  being  the 
main  purpose,  and  as  the  Indians  in  the 
wood  presented  no  opportunity  for  a 
charge,  the  Americans  resumed  their 
original  position,  and  there  maintained 
it  valiantly  against  several  successive  at- 
tacks, until  the  British  reinforcements 
arrived  from  Fort  George.  In  one  of 
these  affairs  the  advanced  pickets  of  the 
American  lines  were  suddenly  driven  in 
by  superior  numbers,  and  a  general 
massacre  seemed  inevitable.  At  this 
critical  moment  Scott,  who  had  been  in 
the  rear  showing  how  to  unspike  a  cap- 
tured cannon,  hastily  returned  and  by 
great  exertions  brought  his  line,  then 
in  the  act  of  giving  away,  to  the  right- 
about. His  l)rilliant  example  produced 
a  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling.  They 
caught  the  spirit  of  their  leader.      With 


25. 


an  niianimoiis  burst  of  euthusiasm  the 
line  suddenl}'  rallied  from  rio^lit  to  left, 
tlirew  itself  forward  upon  the  enemy, 
puttiijo-  him  to  a  precipitate  flii?ht,  and 
strewing-  the  ground  with  the  dead  and 
wounded.  In  this  manner  successive 
c.  )nflicts  were  kept  up  till  the  main  body 
of  the  British  reinforcements  arrived. 
This  was  a  column  eight  hundred  and 
lifty  strong  under  the  command  of 
Major-General  Sheaffe,  who  was  after- 
wards made  a  baronet  for  the  events  of 
the  day. 

During  the  action,  which  had  now  so 
long  proceeded  with  credit  to  the 
American  troops,  the  Militia  who  had 
crossed  the  river  and  were  engaged 
with  Wads  worth  and  Stranahan,  had 
fought  well,  and  shared  both  the  dan- 
gers and  the  successes  of  the  day.  At 
this  crisis,  howtver,  when  the  result  of 
the  battle  depended  entirely  upon  re- 
inforcements, intormation  was  brought 
to  Scott  and  those  engaged  that  the 
Militia  on  the  American  shore  refused  to 
cross.  General  Van  Rensselaer  rode 
among  them  in  all  directions,  urging 
the  men  by  every  consideration  to  pass, 
but  in  vain.  Not  a  regiment  nor  a 
company  could  be  induced  to 
move.  A  panic  had  seized  them;  but 
even  had  it  been  otherwise  they  could 
not  have  crossed,  as  but  a  few  crippled 
boats  remained  to  take  them  over.  The 
total  number  of  boats  in  the  beginning 
was  only  thirteen.  Severe  was  the 
mortification  of  this  disaster  to  the  brava 
men  engaged,  and  mournful  the  result. 

At  this  period  the  British  was  estim- 
ated, regulars,  militia  and  Indians,  at 
not  less  than  thirteen  hundred,  while 
the  Americans  were  reduced  to  less  than 
three  hundred.  Betreat  was  as  hope- 
less as  success;  for  there  were   no  boats 


26. 


on  the  CanadiaD  shore,  and  the  militia 
on  the  other  side  refused  to  ^ive  them 
aid.  Scott  took  his  position  on  the 
grounds  they  then  occupied,  resolved  to 
abide  the  shock,  and  think  of  surrender 
only  when  battle  was  impossible.  He 
mounted  a  log  in  front  of  his  much- 
diminished  band.  *'  The  enemy'^s  balls,'" 
said  he,  "  begin  to  thin  our  ranks.  His 
numbers  are  overwhelming.  In  a  mom- 
ent the  shock  must  come.  We  are  in 
the  beginning  of  a  national  war.  Hull's 
surrender  is  to  be  redeemed.  Let  ub 
then  die  arms  in  hand.  Our  country 
demands  the  sacrifice.  The  example 
will  not  be  lost.  The  blood  of  the  slain 
will  make  heroes  of  the  living.  Those 
who  follow  will  avenge  our  fall  and  their 
country's  wrongs.  Who  dare  to  stand  ?  '" 
"All!  "  was  the  answering  cry.  In  the 
meanwhile  the  British,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major-General  Sheaffe,  man- 
oeuvred with  great  caution,  and  even 
hesitation,  conscious  of  the  vigorous 
resistance  already  made,  and  determined 
fully  to  reconuoiter.  They  found  it 
difficult  to  believe  that  so  small  a  body 
of  men  was  the  whole  force  they  had  to 
contend  with,  and  supposed  it  rather  an 
outpost  than  an  army.  At  length  the 
attack  began.  The  Americans  for  a 
time  maintained  their  resolution,  but 
finally  began  to  give  way.  When  nearly 
surrounded  they  let  themselves  (by 
holding  on  liiubs  and  bushes)  down  the 
precipice  to  the  river.  Besistauce  was 
now  ended  and  after  a  brief  consultation 
it  was  determined  to  send  a  flag 
to  the  enemy,  with  a  proposition  to 
capitulate.  Several  persons  were  suc- 
cessively sent,  but  neither  answer  nor 
messenger  returned;  they  were  all  shot 
down  or  captured  by  the  Indians.  At 
length  Scott  determined  that  he  him- 


27. 


self  would  make  another  attempt.  He 
prepared  a  flaor  of  truce  —a  white  hand- 
kerchief fastened  upon  his  sword— and 
accompanied  by  Captains  Totton  and 
Gibson  went  forth  on  a  forlorn  hope  to 
seek  a  parley.  Keeping  close  to  the 
water's  edge  and  under  cover  of  the 
precipice  as  much  as  possible,  they  des- 
cended along  the  river.  They  were  ex- 
posed to  a  continual  random  fire  from 
the  Indians,  until  they  turned  up  an 
easy  slope  to  gain  the  road  from  the 
village  to  the  heights.  They  had  just 
attained  this  road  when  they  were  met 
by  two  Indians,  who  sprang  upon  them. 
It  was  in  vain  that  Scott  declared  his 
purpose  and  claimed  the  protection  of 
his  flag.  They  attempted  to  wrench  it 
from  his  hands,  and  at  the  same  instant 
Totton  and  Gibson  drew  their  swords. 
The  Indians  had  just  discharged  their 
rifles  at  the  American  officers  and  were 
on  the  point  of  using  their  knives  and 
hatchets,  when  a  British  officer,  accom- 
panied by  some  men,  rushed  forward 
and  prevented  a  further  combat. 

The  three  American  officers  were 
conducted  into  the  presence  of  General 
Sheaffe;  terms  of  capitulation  were 
agreed  upon;  and  Scott  surrendered  his 
whole  force  with  the  honors  of  war. 
The  entire  force  thus  surrendered,  of 
those  who  had  been  actually  fighting, 
were  139  regulars  and  154  militia,  mak- 
ing in  all  293.  But  to  the  intense  mor- 
tification of  Scott,  the  number  was  soon 
swelled  by  several  hundreds  of  militia, 
who  had  crossed  to  the  Canada  shore,, 
and  in  the  confusion  of  the  moment, 
had  concealed  themselves  under  the 
rocks  higher  up  the  river,  and  were  not 
in  the  slightest  degree  engaged  in  the 
action  of  the  day. 


28. 


The  total  loss  of  the  Arnericaus  in  this 
battle  was  estimated  at  1000  men.  About 
100  were  killed,  200  who  had  landed 
with  Major  Mullaney  early  in  the  day 
were  forced  by  the  current  of  the 
river  on  the  enemy's  shores  under  his 
batteries  and  were  there  captured.  293 
surrendered  with  Scott,  and  the  re- 
mainder were  those  who  had  landed,  but 
were  not  in  the  battle. 

Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Queenston 
Heights;  an  engagement  desultory  in 
its  movements,  various  in  its  incidents, 
and  unfortunate  in  its  result ;  but  not 
with  out  consequent  importance  to  the 
spirit  and  vigor  of  the  American  arms. 
Magnitude  is  not  always  necessary  to 
the  dignity  of  an  achievement,  nor  is 
defeat  always  discouraging  to  the  un- 
successful party.  It  is  the  nature  of  the 
action  which  gives  character  to  the 
actor.  Judged  by  this  standard,  the 
events  of  Queenston  had  their  value, 
and  their  inspiration  to  every  patriot 
American.  Hull  had  surrendered  with- 
out a  battle;  disgrace,  not  from  the 
mere  disaster,  but  from  the  mode  by 
which  it  was  produced  was  inflicted 
upon  the  country,  and  felt  in  the  hearts 
of  its  children.  It  was  battle,  and  hon- 
orable battle  only,  which  could  drive 
this  gloomy  shadow  from  the  country, 
check  the  taunts  ot  the  enemies,  remove 
its  own  doubts,  and  re-establsh  its  self 
respect.  The  battle  of  Queenston 
Heights  did  this  in  no  small  degree. 
While  the  mistakes,  the  errors,  and  the 
losses  of  the  day  were  deplored,  the 
American  press  and  people  recognized, 
amid  regrets  and  misfortune,  a  spirit  of 
achievement,  a  boldness  in  danger,  and 
a  gallant  bearing?,  which  inspired  new 
hopes,  and  pointed  out  the  way  to 
ultimate  success.     The  daring  gallantry 


29. 


of  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer;  the  capture 
of  the  British  battery  by  Wool  and  his 
heroic  compauions;  the  intrepid  con- 
duct of  Wadsworth,  of  Chrystie,  of 
Totton,  and  Scott,  and  many  otiiers, 
had  given  a  cheerfulness  even  to  the 
darkness  of  defeat,  and  almost  a  glow  of 
satisfaction  to  the  memory  of  Queen- 
ston  Heights. 

Soon  after  the  surrender,  the  gallant 
Brock  was  buried  under  one  of  the 
bastons  of  Fort  St.  George,  with  the 
highest  of  military  honors.  Fort 
Niagara,  directly  opposite  on  the  Amer- 
ican shore  was  commanded  at  that  time 
by  Captain  McKeon.  Colonel  Scott 
sent  over  his  compliments,  and  desired 
that  minute-guns  might  be  fired  during 
the  funeral  ceremonies.  Captain  Mc- 
Keon readily  complied  with  the  request, 
for  the  noble  qualities  of  Brock  had 
been  held  in  equal  esteem  on  both  sides 
of  the  line  It  is  one  of  the  privileges 
which  smooth  the  rough  brow  of  war, 
thus  to  render  a  just  respect  to  the 
worthy  dead,  whether  they  be  of  friends 
or  adversaries.  It  is  the  right  of  mag- 
nanimity to  carry  no  hostility  beneath 
the  green  covering  of  the  grave,  nor 
beyond  that  line  which  peace  has  drawn 
between  noble  spirits,  that  once  were 
foes,  nor  against  those  generous  qualities 
which  dignify  the  man  and  adore  the 
races. 

In  later  years  the  monument  was 
erected  in  honor  of  General  Brock 
"which  now  towers  from  the  top  of  the 
Queenston  Heights.  From  this  eminent 
point  it  can  be  seen  for  miles  around. 
The  exact  spot  where  Brock  fell,  near 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  has  also  been  ap- 
propriately marked,  and  the  place  en- 
closed with  a  small  fence. 


30. 

Gaptupe  of  fort  (3eopge. 


The  campaign  of  1813  opened  with 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  actions  of  the 
war.  It  was  the  capture  of  York,  (now 
Toronto)  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada, 
by  the  American  troops  under  the  com- 
n^and  of  General  Dearborn.  The  army 
was  landed  from  the  squadron  of  Com- 
modore Chauncey.  and  the  assisting 
party  was  led  by  Pike.  The  place  was 
captured,  with  a  large  number  of 
prisoners,  and  the  British  naval  mater- 
ial, there  collected,  destroyed.  At  the 
moment  of  success  a  magazine  exploded 
and  Pike  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a 
stone.  In  a  letter  written  to  his  father 
the  day  before  the  battle,  in  speaking  of 
his  expedition  he  was  about  to  engage 
in,  he  said:  "Should  I  be  the  happy 
mortal  destined  to  turn  the  scale  of 
war,  will  you  not  rejoice,  oh  my  father  ? 
May  heaven  be  propitious,  and  smile  on 
the  cause  of  my  country.  But  if  we  are 
destined  to  fall,  may  my  fall  be  like 
Wolf's— to  sleep  in  the  arms  of  victory." 
The  wish  was  fulfilled.  He  died  like 
Wolf,  in  the  arms  of  victory,  and  the 
tears  of  grief  and  joy  were  mingled  to- 
gether at  the  story  of  the  battle  which 
was  won,  and  of  the  hero  who  died. 

On  the  British  side  of  the  Niagara 
was  Fort  George.  This  position,  soon 
after  the  last  event,  General  Dearborn 
determined  to  carry.  He  was  then  at  the 
head  of  four  or  five  thousand  men,  and 
was  co-operated  with  by  Commodore 
Chauncey  and  his  naval  force.  Arrange- 
ments were  made  for  an  attack  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th  of  May.  At  3  a.  m. 
the  fleet  weighed  anchor,  and  before 
four  the  troops  were   all  on  board  the 


31. 


boats.  The  embarkation  was  made 
about  three  miles  east  of  Fort  Niaojara. 
It  was  made  iu  six  divisions  of  boats. 
In  the  first  was  Colonel  Scott,  who  led 
the  advanced  guard,  or  forlorn  hope,  a 
service  to  which  he  had  specially  volun- 
teered. In  the  second  was  Colonel 
Moses  Porter  with  the  field  train.  Then 
followed  the  brigades  of  Generals  Boyd, 
Winder,  Chandler,  and  a  reserve  under 
Colonel  A.  Macomb.  In  the  meantime 
Commodore  Chauncey  had  directed  his 
schooners  to  anchor  close  in  shore,  so 
near  as  to  cover  the  lauding  of  the 
troops,  and  scour  by  their  fire  the  woods 
and  plain  wherever  the  enemy  might 
make  his  appearance.  Ca].)tai]i  Perry, 
from  Erie,  had  joined  Commodore 
Chauncey  on  the  evening  of  the  25th, 
and  gallantly  volunteered  his  services 
in  superintending  the  debarkation  of 
the  troops.  It  was  a  difficult  operation, 
in  consequence  of  the  wind,  the  current, 
a  heavy  surf,  and  the  early  commenced 
fire  of  the  enemy.  He  was  present 
wherever  he  could  be  useful,  under 
showers  of  musketry.  He  accompanied 
the  advanced  guard  through  the  surf, 
and  rendered  special  services  of  which 
mention  has  since  been  made  in  the 
highest  terms  of  commendation.  It  was 
the  budding  forth  of  that  professional 
skill,  and  that  brave  and  generous  con- 
duct, which  soon  bloomed  out  in  the 
glor3^  which  surrounds  the  name  of  the 
hero  of  Lake  Erie.  The  landing  of 
Col.  Scott  was  effected  on  the 
British  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  good  order, 
at  half  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Newark, 
now  Niagara-on-the-Lake,  and  the  same 
distance  west  of  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
He  formed  his  line  on  the  beach,  cover- 
ed by  an  irregular  bank,   which  served 


32. 


as  a  partial  shield  against  the  enemy's 
fire.  This  bank,  which  was  from  seven 
to  twelve  feet  in  height,  he  had  to  scale 
against  the  bayonets  of  the  enemy, 
who  had  drawn  up  his  forces,  some 
fifteen  hundred  men,  immediately  on  its 
brow.  In  the  first  attempt  to  ascend, 
the  enemy  pushed  back  the  assailants. 
General  Dearborn,  who  was  still  in  the 
Commodore's  ship,  seeing  with  his  glass 
Scott  fall  backward  upon  the  beach  ex- 
claimed, "  He  is  lost !  He  is  killed  !  " 
Scott's  fall  was,  however,  only  momen- 
tary. Recovering  himself  and  rallying 
his  men,  he  reascended  the  bank,  knock- 
ing aside  the  enemy's  bayonets,  and 
took  a  position  at  the  edge  of  a  ravine, 
a  little  way  in  advance.  A  sharp  action 
of  about  twenty  minutes  in  length  en- 
sued. It  was  short  and  desperate,  end- 
ing in  the  total  rout  of  the  enemy  at 
every  point. 

Meanwhile  Porter  with  his  artillery, 
and  Boyd  with  a  part  of  his  brigade,  had 
landed  in  the  rear  of  the  advance  guard, 
and  slightly  participated  in  the  close  of 
the  action.  Scott  pursued  the  rout  as 
far  as  the  village,  where  he  w^as  joined 
by  the  6th  regiment  of  infantry,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  James  Miller. 
As  the  column  was  passing  Fort  Niagara 
in  pursuit,  Scott  learned  from  some 
prisoners  caught  running  out.  that  the 
garrison  was  about  to  abandon  and 
blow  up  the  place.  Two  companies 
were  instantly  dispatched  from  the 
head  of  the  column  to  save  the  work, 
its  guns  and  stores.  At  the  distance  of 
some  eighty  paces  from  the  fort,  one  of 
its  magazines  exploded.  Scott  was 
struck  with  a  piece  of  timber,  throAvn 
from  his  horse  and  severely  hurt.  He 
nevertheless  caused  the  gate  to  be  for- 
ced, and  was  the  first  to  enter,  and  tore 


33. 


down  the  British  flag,  then  waving 
over  the  works  Bein;?  reminded  by 
Lis  prisoners  of  the  danger  he  incurred 
from  explosion,  he  directed  Captains 
Hindniau  and  Stockton  to  snatch  away 
the  matches  which  had  been  applied  b^" 
the  retreatinf?  garrison  to  two  other 
small  magazines.  The  Fort  had  been 
rendered  untenable  by  the  American 
batteries  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  its 
capture  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  min- 
utes. This  accomplished  Scott  re- 
mounted and  was  soon  at  the  head  of 
"his  column,  in  hot  pursuit.  This  pur- 
suit was  continued  for  five  miles,  until 
at  length  he  was  recalled  by  General 
Boyd  in  person  He  had  already  dis- 
regarded two  successive  orders  to  the 
same  effect  sent  by  General  Lewis,  saj'- 
ing  to  the  aids-de-camp  who  came  to  him 
(one  of  them  Lieutenant  Worth  and  the 
other  Major  Vandeventer)  "Your 
General  does  not  know  that  I  have  the 
enemy  within  my  power  ;  in  seventy 
minutes  I  shall  capture  his  whole  force. 
In  point  of  fact,  Scott  was  already  in 
the  midst  of  the  British  stragglers,  with 
their  main  body  in  sight.  He  would 
not  have  been  overtaken  by  Bo3'd,  but 
that  he  had  waited  fifteen  minutes  for 
Colonel  Burns,  his  senior  officer,  who 
had  consented  to  serve  under  him.  This 
last  Colonel  had  just  crossed  the  river 
from  the  Five-Mile  Meadow,  in  rear  of 
the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  with  one 
troop  of  cavalry  and  was  then  waiting 
the  landing  of  another  now  more  than 
half  way  over.  This  force  constituted 
the  precise  additional  force  which  was 
wanted  by  Scott  to  make  good  the  avS- 
suranfee  he  had  sent  to  General  Lewis. 
With  the  recall  of  Scott  from  the  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy  ended  the  battle  and 
capture  of  Fort  George.     The  American 


M. 


loss  was  less  tbaii  that  of  tbe  Britisb^ 
and  one  of  tbe  objects  set  fortb  in  tbe 
plan  of  tbe  cami>aign  was  decifledly  ae- 
co-mplisbed. 

Accordiiip:  to  General  Dearborn'^ 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  tbe 
American  loss  was  17  killed  and  45 
wonuded;  Britisb  loss,  90  killed,  160 
wounded  and  100  prisoners. 

This  engai^enien-t  was  no-t  witbonfc 
some  incidents,  one  of  wbicb  may  not 
be  out  of  place  to  relate.  After  tbe 
capture  of  S€X)tt,  tbe  year  before,  at 
Queen ston,  be  was  supping  witb  Gen- 
eral Sbeaife,  and  a  number  of  British 
officers,  wben  one  of  tbem,  a  Colonel, 
asked  bim  if  be  bad  ever  seen  tbe  neigb- 
boring  Falls.  Scott  replied,  "Yes,  from 
tbe  American  side.-'  To  tbis  tbe  otber 
sarcastically  replied,  "You  must  have 
tbe  glory  of  a  successful  figbt  before 
you  can  view  tbe  cataract  in  all  its 
grandeur,"  meaning  from  tbe  Canadian 
sbore.  Scott  rejoined,  "If  it  be  your 
intention  to  insult  me.  sir,  bonor  sbould 
have  prompted  you  first  to  return  me 
my  sword!  "  General  Sbeaffe  promptly 
rebuked  tbe  Britisb  Colonel,  and  tbe 
matter  was  dropped.  At  tbe  battle  of 
Fort  George  among  tbe  earliest  prison- 
ers taken  by  the  Americans  was  the 
isame  Britisb  Colonel,  badly  wounded. 
Scott  politely  borrowed  the  prisoner's 
borse,  not  being  able  to  bring  bis  own 
in  tbe  boats,  and  gave  orders  that  tbe 
prisoner  sbould  be  treated  witb  all 
possible  attention  and  kindness.  That 
evening,  after  the  pursuit,  and  as  often 
as  subsequent  events  permittetl,  Scott 
called  on  the  Britisb  Colonel.  He  re- 
turned bim  the  borse,  and  carefully 
provided  for  all  bis  wants.  Indeed,  he 
obtained  permission  for  bim  to  return 
to  England  on    his    parole,    at    a  time 


35. 


when  the  belligerents  had  begun  to  re- 
fuse such  favors,  as  well  as  all  exchan- 
ges. At  the  first  of  these  visits  the 
prisoner  delicatelj''  remarked,  "  I  have 
long  owed  you  an  apology,  sir.  You 
have  overwhelmed  me  with  kindness. 
You  can  now  at  j^our  leisure,  view  the 
Palls  in  all  their  glory." 

It  is  such  acts  of  magnanimity  as 
these  which  reflect  honor  on  human 
nature.  Were  they  more  frequent,  the 
rough  brow  of  war  would  be  smoothed 
to  smiles,  and  the  field  of  battle  be  as 
remarkable  for  the  beautiful  in  character 
as  for  the  glorious  in  action. 


Battle  of    Stony  Gi'ee^. 


To  the  successful  actions  of  York, 
Fort  George,  and  of  Sackett's  Harbor, 
there  were  soon  added  others  of  a  less 
fortunate  result,  and  of  a  less  pleasant 
hue.  On  the  6th  of  June  a  small  brigade 
of  about  800  American  troops  under  the 
command  of  General  Winder,  had  been 
thrown  forward  to  Stony  Creek,  and 
there  reinforced  by  another  corps  under 
Chandler.  Their  object  was  the  pursuit 
and  capture  of  the  British  corps  who 
had  retreated  from  Fort  George,  under 
the  command  of  Vincent.  This  officer 
thought  it  better  to  risk  a  battle  than  to 
give  up  his  position.  He  prepared  also 
to  make  the  attack.  Accordingly  on 
the  morning  of  the  6th,  by  night,  a 
British  column  was  pushed  into  the 
centre  of  the  American  line,  which 
Vincent  had  discovered  to  be  weakened 
by  extension,  and  liable  to  surprise,   by 


36. 


the  negligence  of  camp  guards.  The 
attack  succeeded  so  far  as  to  break  the 
American  line,  and  by  a  strange  mis- 
fortune both  of  the  American  generals, 
Winder  and  Chandler,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  British.  When  the  attack 
was  a  made  a  scene  of  confusion  and 
carnage  ensued,  in  whicli  the  Americans 
could  not  distinguish  friend  from  foe. 
General  Chandler  approached  to  rally  a 
party  but  they  proved  to  be  British 
troops,  who  immediately  secured  him 
as  their  ])risoner.  General  Winder 
shared  by  a  like  mistake  a  similiar  fate. 
The  Americans,  however,  maintained 
their  post,  and  forced  the  enemy  to  re- 
retire,  but  the  army,  being  without  an 
experienced  commander,  retreated  by 
the  advice  of  a  council  of  war.  The 
loss  of  the  British  exceeded  that  of  the 
Americans,  and  was  more  than  one 
hundred. 

A  few  days  after  the  battle  of  Stony 
Creek,  another  incident  still  more  dis- 
astrous occurred  On  the  24th  of  June 
Boerstler  had  been  detached,  with  a 
corps  of  600  men,  to  take  the  British 
post  called  Stone  House,  two  miles 
beyond  the  Beaver  Dams,  and  17  miles 
from  Fort  George.  The  British  force 
was  larger  than  was  supposed.  .Boerst- 
ler was  suffered  to  advance  without  an- 
noyance, till  at  length  he  was  surround- 
ed and  compelled  to  surrender. 

The  principal  reason  given  for  the 
success  of  the  British  on  this  occasion 
is  found  in  the  following  narrative,  as 
related  by  Mrs.  J.  J.  Currie  of  St. 
Catharines,  and  revised  by  J.  B.  Secord 
of  Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

Looking  from  the  right  hand  side  of 
the  Niagara  Central  train  about  five 
miles  above  St.  Catharines,  the  passen- 
ger will  observe  a  small  obelisk.     This 


37. 


stone  was  erected  to  mark  the  spot 
where  ou  the  2 itli  of  June,  1813,  took 
phxce  what  is  now  known  as  the  Battle 
of  the  Beaver  Dams.  At  this  time  the 
Americans  were  in  full  possession  of 
Niagara  and  the  frontier  as  far  as 
Queenston  with  an  outpost  at  St.  Davids 
and  strong  pickets  out  at  all  available 
points.  The  British  Army  at  Niagara 
under  General  Vincent  after  their  de- 
feat by  the  Americans  under  Gen,  Dear- 
born had  retreated  to  Burlington 
Heights  and  there  established  themsel- 
ves with  outposts  at  Jordon,  under  Col. 
Bishop  and  at  a  point  near  Homer  un- 
der Major  DeHaren.  A  small  party 
consisting  of  about  50  men  of  the  49th 
Kegt.  under  Lieut.  Fitzgibbon  and 
about  100  Indians  under  Capt.  Duch- 
arme  were  also  stationed  at  the  Beaver 
Dams.  Such  was  the  situation  of 
affairs  where  our  story  commences. 
That  story  is  the  record  of  a  brave 
woman  whose  deed  of  daring  and 
through  whose  information  the  British 
Commander  was  enabled  to  achieve  a 
signal  victory  and  to  be  the  means 
under  Divine  Providence  of  saving 
Upper  Canada  to  the  British  Crown. 
Lieut.  Fitzgibbon  and  his  detachment 
had  been  most  active  in  annoying  the 
enemy,  and  to  get  rid  of  him  and  at  the 
same  time  obtain  an  advantageous  base 
of  operations  against  Gen.  Vincent's 
position  on  Burlington  Heights,  it  was 
resolved  by  the  American  Commander 
to  capture  the  Lieut,  and  the  British 
position  at  the  Beaver  Dams.  This 
course  was  adopted  at  a  Council  of  War 
held  at  Fort  George  on  the  18th  of  June, 
1813.  To  carry  out  this  determination 
the  American  (reneral  selected  a  force 
of  about  650  men  composed  of  about  400 
light  Infantry,  two  companies  of  mount- 


38. 


ed  Infantry,  a  company  of  Artillery 
with  two  field  pieces,  and  a  half  troop 
of  Cavalry  and  placed  them  under  the 
command  of  Col.  Boerstler,  an  officer 
noted  for  his  bravery  and  distinguished 
for  gallantry  during  the  Indian  wars. 


geroine    £iaura    §eeord. 


As  I  before  stated,  the  village  of  Queen- 
ston  was  in  possession  of  the  Americans 
and  but  few  of  the  older  inhabitants  re- 
mained there.  Among  the  few  was  the 
heroine  of  this  story,  LauraSecord,  and 
her  husband.  Mr.  Secord  was  still  suf- 
fering and  helpless  from  the  wound  he 
received  at  the  Battle  of  Queenston. 
At  their  house  the  American  officers 
were  billeted  and  among  them  was  Col. 
Boerstler.  On  June  23rd  while  these 
officers  were  at  dinner  the  Colonel  talk- 
ed freely  of  his  intended  enterprise- 
told  of  his  plans  to  capture  Fitzgibbon 
and  his  small  party  at  the  Beaver  Dams. 
How  a  base  of  operations  would  then 
be  had  for  the  advance  on  the  position 
held  by  the  British  at  Burlington. 
"  That  position  once  captured  -shouted 
the  gallant  Colonel,  and  Upper  Canada 
is  ours."  Laura  Secord  listened  to  all 
this,  and  when  tne  officers  retired  from 
the  house  to  perform  their  several  duties 
and  Col.  Boerstler  had  gone  in  the  di- 
rection of  Niagara  to  join  his 
command  for  the  capture  of  Fitzgibbon, 
she  consulted  with  her  husband  as  to 
the  best  course  to  pursue— some  one 
must  go  to  warn  Fitzgibbon,  she  said — 
Mr.  Secord  could  not  go,  and  there  was 


39. 


no  other  to  send  and  she  resolved  to  go 
herself.  She  did  not  for  a  moment 
hesitate.  Her  courage  rose  to  meet  the 
emergency.  Bidding  her  husband  and 
children  a  hurried  farewell,  she,  in  the 
early  evening  of  the  23rd,  left  her  home 
for  a  long  and  perilous  walk  to  the 
Beaver  Dams. 

With  a  sunbonuet  on  her  head  aud  a 
milk  pail  in  her  hand  she  passed  the 
first  sentinel  and  was  not  challenged. 
She  sped  onward  and  when  about  two 
miles  from  her  home  she  was  challeng- 
ed by  another  sentinel  who  roughly  de- 
manded to  know  where  she  was  going. 
Her  story  was  that  she  was  going  to 
visit  a  sick  brother  and'  with  real  tears 
besought  the  guard  not  to  detain  her — 
after  some  questioning  she  was  allowed 
to  go  on  her  way.  Through  the  woods 
she  sped  along,  meeting  many  adven- 
tures by  the  way  until  at  last  she  reach- 
ed the  position  where  was  encamped  a 
group  of  Indians  who  at  once  made  her  a 
prisoner.  She  asked  to  be  taken  to  their 
chief.  They  complied  with  her  request 
and  she  at  once  made  herself  known  and 
demanded  to  be  led  to  Lieut.  Fitzgib- 
bon  for  whom  she  said  she  had  great 
news.  After  some  hesitation  she  was 
taken  to  Fitzgibb'on's  quarters  and  at 
once  told  her  story.  He  realized  its 
importance.  "Mrs.  Secord."  he  said, 
•'you  have  save  me  and  j'ou  have  saved 
Vincent,  God  bless  you."  After  seeing 
Mrs.  Secord  comfortably  housed  for  the 
night  the  Lieutenant  took  his  measures 
to  give  the  enemy  a  warm  reception. 
Posting  his  little  army  in  advantageous 
position  and  out  of  sight  of  an  advanc- 
ing enemy  and  directing  Gen.  Ducharme 
to  post  his  Indians,  in  a  ravine  in  the 
Beech  woods  which  was  selected  as  a  good 
place  for  an  ambuscade,  the    little  band 


40. 


■waited  for  the  enemy  to  appear.  About 
9  o'clock  the  Americans  appeared  and 
were  received  by  a  steady  and  incessant 
fire  from  the  woods  on  every  side. 
Boerstler  ordered  the  artillery  to  open 
fire  on  the  woods,  but  this  was  ineffec- 
tual and  the  repeated  attempts  to  march 
forward  were  repulsed,  Boerstler  sev- 
eral times  changed  direction,  meeting 
each  time  an  invisible  enemy.  Believ- 
ing himself  to  be  surrounded  by  a  large 
force  of  the  British  and  seeing  no 
other  alternative  he  at  last  sent  up  a 
flag  of  truce  with  an  offer  of  surrender, 
which  offer  was  accepted,  and  articles 
of  capitulation  signed.  By  this  surren- 
der .  Ool.  Boerstler,  twenty-three 
officers  and  five  hundred  and  seventy-five 
men  became  prisoners  of  war.  Besides 
•  were  surrendered  the  colors  of  the  14th 
U.  S.  Infantry,  two  cannons,  two  bag- 
gage wagons  and  about  600  stand  of 
arms  as  substantial  tokens  of  victory. 
Laura  Secord  remained  at  DeCew's 
house  until  the  25th  when  Lieut.  Fitz- 
gibbon  had  her  conveyed  home.  Her 
return  was  a  happy  one  as  her  purpose 
had  been  achieved  and  the  results  be- 
yond the  most  sanguine  expectations. 
I  cannot  close  this  brief  narrative  with- 
out recalling  an  incid'ent  of  the  Battle  of 
Queenston.  Mrs.  Secord  and  family 
were  living  there  at  that  time  and  Mr. 
8ecord  was  one  of  the  part}'-  that  con- 
veyed the  remains  of  the  dead  Brock 
from  the  place  where  he  fell  to  the  stone 
house  where  he  lay  until  taken  to  Fort 
George  in  the  afternoon.  Mr. 
Secord  returned  to  take  his  share  of 
the  battle  and  while  following  gallant 
McDonnell  up  the  heights  receiv- 
ed a  severe  wound  on  the  shoulder. 
Intelligence  of  this  occurrence  reached 
Mrs.  Secord  and  she  at  once  hurried  to 


41. 


his  side.  Just  as  she  arrived  three 
American  soldiers  arrived  and  raising 
their  muskets  were  about  to  club  him  to 
death.  Rushing  between  them  she  threw 
herself  on  the  body  of  her  husband, 
thus  shielding  him  and  implored  the 
ruffians  to  spare  her  husbaud's  life. 
With  rough  words  they  pushed  her  aside 
and  were  about  to  accomi)lish  their 
murderous  intent,  when  Capt.  Wool  of 
the  American  army  came  up,  and  call- 
ing them  cowards  sternly  demanded 
how  they  dared  do  such  a  thing.  He 
had  them  arrested  and  sent  to  Lewiston 
where  the3^  were  afterwards  court-mar- 
tialed and  as  a  result  received  well 
merited  imprisonment  for  several 
mouths  for  their  infamous  breach  of 
discipline.  Captain  Wool  ordered  a 
party  of  men  to  take  Mr.  Secord  to  his 
home,  and  did  not  even  make  him  a 
prisoner  on  parole.  Captain  Wool 
never  forgot  the  friend  he  made  that 
day.  He  rose  to  the  high  rank  of 
Major  General  and  visited  Mr.  Secord 
several  times,  and  their  friendship  con- 
tinued until  Mr.  Secord's  death.  This 
same  Captain  Wool  stationed  a  guard  at 
the  stone  house  where  the  dead  body  of 
Brock  was  conveyed,  to  protect  it  from 
injury  and  insult.  It  is  pleasant  amid 
the  horrors  and  cruelties  of  war  to 
record  the  noble  actions  of  a  generous 
foe.  Mr.  Secord  and  family  lived  at 
Queenston  for  many  years,  when  re- 
lieving a  governpaent  appointment,  he 
removed  to  Chippawa  where  he  died  in 
1842.  Laura  Secord  still  continued  to 
reside  at  Chippawa  and  died  in  1868  in 
the  95th  year  of  her  age.  In  1860  she 
was  presented  to  H.  R.  H.,  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  and  her  brave  exploit  brought 
to  his  notice.  He  afterwards  generous- 
ly sent  her  his  check  for    £100,  but  no 


42. 


acknowled.Erement  of  her  services  was 
made  by  the  government.  She  left  six 
children,  five  dano^htera  and  one  son, 
none  of  whom  are  now  living'.  Her 
only  son  purchased  the  stone  house 
hallowed  by  the  presence  of  the  dead 
warrior  and  lived  there  until  he  remov-- 
to  Niagara.  Laura  Secord  and  lier 
husband  are  buried  in  the  old  cemetery 
on  Drummond  Hill.  A  simple  stone 
marks  the  spot  where  this  true  hearted 
couple  sleeps.  This  burying  ground 
was  the  battle  field  of  Lundy's  Lane 
and  many  of  the  dead  that  fell  in  that 
fierce  conflict  mingle  their  dust  with 
theirs. 


Pt  General  G<^"^P<^^^"' 


During  this  time,  and  for  more  than 
three  months,  the  main  body  remained 
for  the  most  part  inactive,  and  entrench- 
ed at  Fort  George,  under  the  command 
successively  of  Generals  Dearborn. 
Lewis,  Boyd  and  Wilkinson.  The  duty 
of  foraging  devolved  upon  Colonel 
Scott,  which  he  did  at  least  twice  a 
week.  In  these  excursions  repeated 
skirmishes  with  small  parties  of  the 
enemy  occurred.  Not  a  load  of  forage 
was  cut  between  the  hostile  camps  with- 
out a  sharp  combat^  in  which  Scott 
always  came  off  victorious. 

In  September  an  expedition  was  plan- 
ned against  Burlington  Heights,  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Ontario,  reported  to  be 
the  depot  of  a  large  quantity  of  provis- 
ions and  other  British  stores.  In  this 
exi)edition  Col.  Scott  volunteered  to 
command  the  land  troops,  and  was  taken 


43. 


on  board  the  fleet  by  Commodore 
Chauucey.  Burlington  Heights  were 
visited,  but  neither  enemy  nor 
stores  were  found  there.  On  the  return 
it  was  determined  to  make  a  descent 
upon  York  (now  Toronto).  According- 
ly a  landing  of  the  soldiers  and  marines 
was  affected,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  Scott.  The  barracks  and  public 
storehouses  were  burnt.  Large  depots 
of  provisions  and  clothing  were  taken, 
together  with  eleven  armed  boats,  and 
a  considerable  quantity  of  ammunition 
and  several  pieces  of  cannon. 

At  the  close  of  this  summer  a  plan  of 
campaign  was  devised,  having^  for  its 
object  Kingston,  and  then  Montreal. 
Without  going  into  the  details  of  the 
objects  of  this  plan  and  the  movements 
of  the  different  armies,  we  will  simply 
say,  that  in  accordance  with  the  plan, 
Wilkinson  embarked  with  the  Niagara 
army  on  the  2nd  day  of  October,  leav- 
ing Colonel  Scott  commander  of  Fort 
George  with  between  seven  and  eight 
hundred  regulars,  with  a  part  of  Col. 
Swift's  regiment  of  militia,  to  defend 
the  Fort.  And  as  this  fort  had  been 
taken  by  Col.  Scott  and  the  British 
colors  taken  down  by  his  own  hands,  he 
was  proud  of  the  capture,  and  determin- 
ed to  defend  it  as  the  post  of  honor.  He 
lost  not  a  moment  nor  an  effort  to  im- 
prove the  defences  of  the  fort.  Expect- 
ing an  assault  at  any  moment,  all  hands, 
including  the  commander,  worked  night 
and  day.  A  week  accomplished  much, 
at  the  end  of  which,  (Oct.  9th),  the 
enemy,  contrary  to  all  expectations, 
broke  up  his  camp,  burning  three 
thousand  blankets,  many  hundred  stand 
of  arms,  also  the  blankets  in  the  men's 
packs,  and  ever  article  of  clothing  not  in 
actual  use  and  then  followed  Wilkinson 


M. 


down  the  country.  On  tlie  13tli  of 
October,  1813,  by  order  of  Major-Gen- 
eral  Wilkinson.  Col.  Scott  left  Fort 
George,  with  the  whole  of  the  regular 
troops  of  the  garrison,  being  relieved 
by  Brigadier-General  McClnre,  with  a 
body  of  the  New  York  detached  militia, 
expecting  to  embark  at  the  mouth  of 
Genesee  River,  where  Wilkinson  was  to 
provide  means  for  his  embarkation,  but 
failed  to  do  so,  so  that  he  had  to  march 
to  Sackett's  Harbor,  through  rain  and 
mud. 

On  the  12th  of  November  the  expedi- 
tion down  the  St.  Lawrence  for  the 
conquest  of  Canada  was  abandoned,  and 
the  army  commenced  a  retreat.  Sir, 
George  Provost  being  relieved  from  his 
apprehension  of  an  attack  on  Montreal, 
ordered  his  forces  under  Generals  Vin- 
cent and  Drummond,  to  proceed  to 
Niagara.  The  Americans  had  left  this 
frontier  defenseless,  except  about  60 
men  of  the  New  York  Militia  who  were 
left  to  garri.son  Fort  George.  Being 
hard  pressed  by  the  enemy,  McClure 
concluded  to  abandon  the  post.  So  on 
the  loth  of  December  he  left  for  Fort 
Niagara,  after,  through  a  misconception 
of  his  orders,  he  burned  the  village  of 
Newark,  and  the  people,  who  were  non- 
combatants,  were  turned  out  into  a  deep 
snow,  in  intensely  cold  weather.  The 
British  otHcers  resolved  to  retaliate, 
although  the  act  was  promptly  disavow- 
ed by  the  American  Government. 


45. 

{gritisb  Gi'oss  tbef^order. 


On  the  uight  of  December  18th  1,000 
British  and  Indians  crorised  the  river 
at  "Five  Mile  Meadow,"  shooting  and 
plundering  the  inhabitants  and  laying 
low  the  whole  Frontier  to  Buffalo. 
Ct)l.  Murray,  with  550  regulars,  turned 
toward  the  Fort  of  Niagara,  prepared 
to  storm  it.  The  pickets  were  captured 
without  giving  any  alarm,  and  the 
enemy  on  reaching  the  fort  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  actually  found 
the  main  gate  standing  open  and  un- 
defended, and  the  fortress  at  their 
mercy.  For  a  few  minutes  the  "south- 
eastern blockhouse"  and  the ''red  bar- 
racks" withstood  the  entrance  of  the 
foe  so  stoutly  that  several  were  killed  or 
wounded,  among  the  latter  was  Col. 
Murray.  Most  of  the  450  occupants  of 
the  Fort  only  awoke  to  find  themsel- 
ves prisoners  The  slight  resistance 
was  made  the  pretext  for  an  inhuman 
onslaught* in  which  80  of  the  helpless 
garrison,  including  many  hospital 
patients,  were  slaughtered  after  sur- 
rendering. Fourteen  were  wounded, 
314:  taken  prisoner,  20  escaped;  27  can- 
non, oOOO  stand  of  small  arms,  and  great 
quantities  of  ammunition,  provisions 
and  camp  equipage  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  victors.  They  held  the  fort  until 
the  treaty  of  peace  restored  it. 

The  portion  of  the  British  forces 
which  did  not  accompany  Col.  Murray 
to  the  fort,  including  the  Indians,  pil- 
laged and  destroyed  the  six  or  eight 
houses  then  constituting  Youngstown. 
They  then  marched  upon  Lewiston, 
where  they  plundered,  burned  and  but- 
chered to    their    hearts    content.      Mr. 


46. 


Lossiugr  understood  that  500  Indians 
under  General  Riall  crossed  from 
Queenston  to  Lewiston  on  hearing  a 
cannon  fired  at  Fort  Niagara  announ- 
cing its  capture.  He  quotes  the  follow- 
ing extract  of  a  letter  from  an  officer  of 
high  rank,  (whom  he  conjectures  to 
have  been  General  Drummond)  at 
Queenston,  written  while  the  devasta- 
tion was  going  on : 

"A  war-hoop  from  five  hundred  of 
the  most  savage  Indians  (which  the^' 
gave  just  at  daylight,  on  heariner  of  the 
success  of  the  attack  on  Fort  Niagara) 
made  the  enemy  (at  Lewiston)  take  to 
their  heels,  and  our  troops  are  in  pur- 
suit. We  shall  not  stop  until  we  have 
cleared  the  whole  frontier.  The  Indians 
are  retaliating  the  conflagration  of 
Newark.  Not  a  house  within  my  sight 
but  is  in  flames.  This  is  a  melancholy 
but  just  retaliation." 

Mr.  Lossing,  who  quotes  this  letter, 
remarks:  ''Fearful  was  the  retaliation 
for  the  destruction  of  half-inhabited 
Newark,  where  not  a  life  was  sacrificed  ! 
Six  villages,  many  isolated  'country 
houses  and  four  vessels  were  consumed, 
and  the  butchery  of  innocent  persons  at 
Fort  Niagara,  Lewiston,  ISchlosser, 
Tuscarora  Village,  Black  Eock  and 
Buffalo,  and  in  farm  houses,  attested 
the  fierceness  of  the  enemy's  revenge." 

But  it  is  impossible  to  give  the  reader 
such  an  account  of  the  condition  of 
things  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  during 
that  ill-fated  winter  as  will  enable  him 
to  realize  the  alarm,  the  panic,  and  the 
calamities  that  prevailed  on  every  hand, 
and  of  the  sufferings  that  were  endured 
by  the  pioneers  on  the  border. 


47. 

Perry  on  C^iH®  G'*'^^:. 


On  September  10th  of  this  year,  1813, 
an  exciting  battle  took  i)lace  on  one  of 
those  inland  seas  which  separate  the 
possessions  of  the  two  governments. 
The  American  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  which 
had  l)een  formed  during  the  past  sum- 
mer, was  under  the  command  of  Com- 
modore Oliver  Hazard  Perry.  It  now 
consisted  of  the  Niagara  and  Lawrence, 
each  mounting  twenty-live  guns,  and 
several  smaller  vessels,  carrying  on  an 
average  of  two  guns  each.  The  enemy's 
fleet  was  considered  of  equal  force. 
Commodore  Barclay,  its  commander, 
was  a  veteran  ollicer,  while  Perry  was 
young  and  without  experience  as  a 
commander.  The  battle  began  on  the 
part  of  the  Americans  about  12  o'clock 
at  noon.  Perry's  flag  ship,  the  Law- 
rence, being  disabled,  he  embarked  in 
an  open  boat,  and  amidst  a  sht^wer  of 
bullets,  carried  the  ensign  of  command 
on  board  of  the  Niagara,  and  once 
more  bore  down  upon  the  enemy  with 
the  remainder  of  the  fleet.  The  action 
became  general  and  severe,  and  at  four 
o'clock  the  whole  British  squadron,  con- 
sisting of  six  vessels,  carrying  in  all 
sixty-three  guns,  surrendered  to  the 
Americans.  In  giving  information  of 
his  victory  to  General  Harrison.  Perry 
wrote  :  "  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and 
they  are  ours." 

This  success  on  lake  Erie  opened  a 
passage  to  the  territory  which  had  been 
surrendered  by  General  Hull ;  and 
General  Harrison  lost  no  time  in  trans- 
ferring the  war  thither.  On  the  22d  of 
September,  he  landed  his  troops  near 
Fort  Maiden,  but  to    his    surprise,   in- 


48. 


stead  of  an  armed  force,  he  met,  at  the 
entrauce  of  the  town,  the  maids  and 
matrons  of  Amherstburg,  who,  in  their 
best  attire,  had  come  forth  to  solicit  the 
protection  of  the  Americans. 


pressed. 


In  October,  1807  Great  Britain,  by- 
proclamation,  recalled  from  foreign 
service  all  seamen  and  sea-faring  men 
who  were  natural  born  subjects,  and 
ordered  them  to  withdraw  themselves 
and  return  home.  At  the  same  time  it 
declared  that  no  foreign  letters  of 
naturalization  could  divert  its  natural- 
born  subjects  of  their  allegiance,  or 
alter  their  duty  to  their  lawful  sover- 
eign. 

In  the  United  States,  by  the  act  of 
naturalization,  a  foreigner  becomes 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges  and  im- 
munities of  natural  born  citizens,  ex- 
cept that  of  holding  several  offices,  such 
as  President  and  Vice-President.  The 
two  positions  were  those  of  absolute  an- 
tagonism, and  were  alone  sufficient  to 
account  for  much  of  the  controversy 
and  heat  which  attended  the  war  of  1812. 
Claims  to  the  reclamation  of  British- 
born  subjects  naturalized  in  America, 
and  claims  to  impress  them  when  found 
in  American  ships,  were  made  on  the 
one  hand  and  resisted  on  the  other. 
This  was  the  state  of  things  when  the 
incidents  took  place  which  we  are  about 
to  relate. 


49. 


The  battle  of  Queenston  closed  with 
the  surreuder  of  Scott  and  his  small 
force  to  the  greatly  superior  uumbers 
uuder  the  coiumand  of  General  Sheaffe. 
These  i)risoners  were  sent  to  Quebec, 
thence  in  a  cartel  to  Boston.  When  the 
prisoners  were  abi)ut  to  sail  from  Que- 
bec, Scott,  beino:  in  the  cabin  of  the 
trans{)ort.  heard  a  bustle  upon  deck, 
and  hastened  up.  There  he  found  a 
])arty  of  British  officers  in  the  act  of 
mu.steriug  prisoners,  and  separating 
from  the  rest  such  as,  by  confession  or 
the  accent  ol  the  voice,  were  judged  to 
be  Irishmen.  The  object  was  to  send 
them,  in  a  frigate  then  alongside,  to 
England,  to  be  tried  and  executed  for 
the  crime  of  high  treason,  they  being 
taken  in  arms  against  their  native  alleg- 
iance. Twenty-three  had  been  thus  set 
apart  when  Scott  reached  the  deck,  and 
there  were  at  least  forty  more  of  the 
same  birth  in  the  detachment.  They 
were  all  in  cfeep  affliction  at  what  they 
regarded  as  the  certain  prospect  of  ■  a 
shameful  death.  Many  were  adopted 
<jitizens  of  the  States,  and  several  had 
iamilies  in  the  land  of  their  adoption. 
The  moment  Scott  ascertained  the 
object  of  the  British  officers,  acting 
under  the  express  orders  of  the  Gover- 
nor-General, Sir.  George  Provost,  he 
commanded  his  men  to  answer  no  more 
•questions,  in  order  that  no  other  select- 
ion should  be  made  by  the  test  of  speech. 
He  commanded  them  to  remain  abso- 
lutely silent,  and  they  strictly  obeyed. 
This  was  done  in  spite  of  the  threats  of 
the  British  officers,  and  not  another 
man  was  separated  from  his  companions. 
Scott  was  repeatedly ly  commanded  to 
go  below,  and  high  altercations  ensued. 
He  addressed  the  party  selected,  and 
explained  to  them    fully   the  reciprocal 


50. 


obligatious  of  allegiance  and  protection, 
and  assuring  them  that  the  United 
States  would  not  fail  to  avenge  their 
gallant  and  faithful  soldiers;  and  finally 
pledged  himself,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  that  retaliation,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, a  refusal  to  give  quarter  in  battle, 
should  follow  the  execution  of  any  one 
of  the  party.  In  the  midst  of  this  ani- 
mated harangue  he  was  frequently  in- 
terrupted by  the  British  officers,  but, 
though  unarmed,  could  not  be  silenced. 

The  Irishmen,  whose  names  were  as 
follows:  Henry  Kelley,  Henry  Blaney, 
George  McCommon,  John  Dalton, 
Michael  Condin,  John  Clark,  Peter 
Burr,  Andrew  Doyle,  John  McGowau, 
James  Gill,  John  Fulsom,  Patrick  Mc- 
Braharty,  Matthew  Mooney,  Patrick 
Karns,  John  Fitzgerald,  John  Wiley, 
John  Donellj-,  John  Curry,  Nathan 
Shaley,  Edward  McGarrigan,  John 
Dinnue,  John  Williams,  George  John- 
son, were  put  in  irons  on  board  the 
frigate  and  sent  to  England.  When 
Scott  landed  in  Boston,  he  proceeded  to 
Washington  and  was  duly  exchanged. 
He  immediately  related  to  the  President 
the  scene  which  had  occurred  at  Quebec, 
and  was  by  him  instructed  to  make  a 
full  report  of  the  whole  transaction,  in 
writing,  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  This 
was  done  on  the  13th  of  January,  1813. 
The  result  was  that  on  March  3rd,  1813, 
an  act  was  passed  vesting  the  President 
of  the  United  States  with  the  power  of 
retaliation. 

Two  months  after  this  (May  27th, 
1813,)  in  the  battle  and  capture  of  Fort 
George,  Scott  made  a  great  number  of 
prisoners.  True  to  his  pledge  given  at 
Quebec,  he,  as  Adjutant-General,  (chief 
of  staff)  immediately  selected  twenty- 
three  of  the  number  to  be  confined  in 


51. 


the  interior  of  the  United  States,  there 
to  abide  the  fate  of  the  twenty-three 
imprisoned  and  sent  to  England  by  the 
British  officers.  In  making  this  select- 
ion he  was  careful  not  to  include  a 
single  Irishman,  in  order  that  Irishmen 
might  not  be  sacrificed  for  Irishmen. 
This  step  led,  on  both  sides,  to  the  con- 
finement as  hostages  of  many  other  men 
and  officers,  all  of  whom  were,  of  course, 
dependent  for  their  lives  on  the  fate  of 
the  original  twenty-three.  q^ 

In  July  1815,   when    peace    had  been  ;^a^^  . 
months  concluded,    and   Scott   (then  a  ^^ 

a  major-general)  was  passing  along  on 
the  East  River  side  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  he  was  attracted  by  loud  cheers 
and  bustle  on  one  side  of  the  piers.  He 
approached  the  scene  and  great  was  his 
delight  to  find  that  it  was  the  cheers  of 
his  old  Irish  friends,  in  whose  behalf  he 
had  interfered  at  Quebec,  and  who  had 
that  moment  landed  in  triumph,  after  a 
a  confinement  of  more  than  two  years  in 
English  prisons.  He  was  quickly 
recognized  by  them,  hailed  as  their 
deliverer,  and  nearlj'-  crushed  by  their 
warm-hearted  embraces.  Twenty-one 
were  present,  two  having  died  natural 
deaths. 


52. 


^be    ^rmx/*    disciplined. 


The  campaign  of  1813  ended  in  dis- 
grace and  disaster.  The  hopes  of  the 
nation  which  had  been  excited  by  the 
brilliant  achievements  with  which  it 
opened,  sank  to  despair,  when  the  army, 
after  sustaining  a  partial  defeat,  made 
an  abrupt  and  hasty  retreat. 

Amidst  the  disasters  of  the  campaign 
there  was  one  benefit.  The  touch-stone 
of  experience  had  been  applied  to  the 
temper  of  the  army,  and  it  was  now 
easy  to  take  the  pure  metal  from  the 
dross.  It  was  a  hard  school  of  adver- 
sity; but  many  a  brave  and  highly  gifted 
young  man  was  trained  by  its  teachings 
to  become  an  accomplished  and  efficient 
officer.  On  the  otber  hand  it  detected 
the  emptiness  and  unfitness  of  many  a 
fop,  both  young  and  old,  who  had  been 
seduced  into  the  service  by  the  glitter  of 
uniform  and  the  pomp  of  military  pa- 
rade. They  were  made  to  learn  and 
feel  their  incompetency  to  endure  the 
duties  or  the  frowns  of  war.  An  ele- 
gant writer  has  well  remarked,  that  the 
rude  winter  gales  of  Canada  swept  from 
our  ranks  the  painted  insects,  which 
were  fit  only  to  spread  their  glittering 
wings  in  the  summer  sun;  but,  at  the 
same  time  aroused  and  invigorated  the 
eagle-spirits,  which  during  the  calm 
cower  in  solitude  and  silence,  but,  as  the 
tempest  rises,  come  forth  from  obscuri- 
ty to  stem  the  storm  and  sport  them- 
selves in  the  gale. 

The  military  spirit  of  the  army  was 
lost.  New  levies  of  troops  were  to  be 
made  and  the  spirit  of  daring,  of  confi- 
dence and  energy,  was  to  be  created 
before  they  could  take  the  field. 


53. 


To  accomplish  these  objects.  Colonel 
Scott,  who,  on  the  9th  of  March,  1814, 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Bripradier- 
General,  immediately  joined  Major- 
General  Brown,  then  marched  with  the 
army  from  the  French  Mills  towards 
the  Niaj?ara  Frontier. 

The  army  was  rapidly  assembled  at 
Buffalo.  It  consisted  at  that  time  of 
Scott's  bris^ade,  Ripley's  brigade.  Hind- 
man's  battalion  of  artillery  (all  regulars,) 
and  Gen   Porter's  brigade  of  militia. 

Scott's  brigade  consisted  of  the  bat- 
talions of  the  9th,  the  11th  and  the 
25th  regiments  of  infantry,  with  a  de- 
tachment of  the  22nd,  and  Touson's 
company  of  artillery.  The  brigade  of 
Geu.  Bipley  was  composed  of  the  Ist, 
21st  and  23rd  infantry.  Porter's  com- 
mand was  composed  of  bodies  known  as 
Canadian  Volunteers,  New  York  Vol- 
unteers aud  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 
The  signal  services  rendered  at  a 
subsequent  period,  and  the  glory 
which  they  won  for  their  country  on 
hard-fought  battle-fields,  renders  it 
proper  that  we  should  record  and  re- 
member names  so  justly  distinguished 
in  history. 

These  troops  were  placed  in  the 
school  of  instruction  at  Buffalo,  where 
for  three  months  they  were  drilled  in 
all  the  evolutions  and  tactics  necessary 
to  give  them  the  most  accurate  and 
thorough  discipline.  Officers  and  men 
were  taught  the  proper  distribution  of 
duties  between  each  other,  between  the 
different  corps,  and  the  different  ser- 
vices, from  the  formation  of  a  column 
of  attack  to  the  presentation  of  a  salute, 
and  to  the  exchange  of  the  minutest 
courtesies.  It  is  said  that  Scott,  while 
at  Buffalo  observed  a  captain  passing  a 
sentinel  posted.     The  sentinel  saluted 


54. 


him  by  carrying  arms,  making  his  mus- 
ket ring  with  tiie  action.  The  captain 
passed  without  acknowledging  the 
aakite  of  the  ^soldier.  Gen.  JScott  sent 
an  aide  to  him  to  say,  that  he  (tlie  cap- 
tain) would  take  care  to  repass  the  sen- 
tinel in  20  minutes,  and  repair  the  fault, 
or  take  a  trial  before  a  court  martial. 

The  value  of  discipline,  of  obedience, 
and  of  personal  skill  in  their  business, 
thus  acquired  bj^  the  troops  of  an  army, 
cannot  be  over-estimated  For  want  of 
it,  the  brave  and  gallant,  but  undisci- 
plined volunteers  of  patriot  armies  have 
been  scattered  and  driven  by  veteran 
soldiers  fighting  in  a  worse  cause,  and 
having  far  less  of  moral  motive  to  sus- 
tain them.  With  it  soldiers  of  despots 
have  fought  with  invincible  firmness, 
choosing  graves  where  they  stood,  to 
life  in  retreat.  The  armies  of  Suwarraw 
would  fall  in  the  ranks,  but  without 
orders  never  retreat. 

The  troops  of  Great  Britain  are  well 
disciplined;  and  it  was  in  tbe  sharpest 
contest  with  them  that  the  army  of 
Niagara  soon  proved  how  much  it  had 
gaiued  in  the  camp  of  instruction  at 
Buffalo. 

The  apparent  though  not  unprofitable 
inactivity  which  had  pervaded  the 
American  army  of  the  north,  during 
the  spring  of  1814,  disappeared  before 
the  rising  heat  of  the  summer  sun.  in 
the  latter  part  of  June  General  Brown 
returned  to  Buffalo,  and  thenceforward 
the  storm  of  war,  with  its  hurried 
tramp,  its  loud  clanger,  its  heroic  deeds 
and  its  untimely  deaths,  was  heard 
swiftly  sweeping  along  the  shores  of  the 
Niagara. 


55. 


Capture    of    fort     G^^^®* 


Early  in  the  morning  of  the  3rd  of 
July,  1814,  Scott's  brigade,  with  the 
artillery  corps  of  Major  Hindman, 
crossed  the  river  and  landed  below  Fort 
Erie,  while  Ripley's  brigade  landed 
above.  Scott  led  the  van,  crossing  in  a 
boat  with  Colonel  Camp,  who  had  vol- 
unteered hie  services,  and  was  on  the 
shore  before  the  enemy's  piquet  tired  a 
gun.  The  British  garrison  of  Fort 
Erie  consisted  of  parts  of  the  8th  and 
100th  regiments.  It  soon  surrendered 
and  170,  including  seven  officers,  were 
taken  prisoners,  and  sent  to  the  Ameri- 
can side.  Preparations  were  immedi- 
ately made  to  advance  and  attack  the 
army  of  General  Riall  at  Chippawa. 


^be  [Rattle  of  G^>ip{>av»a. 


On  the  morning  of  the  Fourth,  Scott's 
brigade  moved  towards  Chippawa,  and 
for  16  miles  he  had  a  running  tight  with 
the  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  who  com- 
manded the  British  100th  regiment,  'till 
at  dusk  the  latter  was  driven  across 
Chippawa  Creek,  and  joined  the  main 
body  of  the  British  army  under  Gener- 
al Riall.  The  Marquis  has  since  said 
that  he  could  not  account  for  the  order 
of  the  pursuit  until  he  recollected  the 
fact  that  it  was  the  American  great  an- 
niversary. 

The  positions  of  the  British  and  of 
the  Americans  on  the  5th  of  July  may 


5r', 


be  easily  uuderstood.  On  the  east  side 
was  the  Niagara  River,  and  near  it  the 
road  to  Chippawa.  On  the  west  was  a 
heavy  wood.  Between  these,  running 
from  the  woods  to  the  river,  were  two 
streams,  the  principal  of  which  was 
Chippawa  Creek.  The  other  was  a 
small  stream  above,  known  in  history 
as  Street's  Creek.  Behind,  and  below 
Chippawa  Creek,  lay  the  army  of  Gen- 
eral Riall,  with  a  heavy  battery  on  one 
side  and  a  block  house  on  the  other. 
Scott's  brigade  had  rested  for  the  night 
on  and  above  Street's  Creek.  Over 
these  streams  the  road  to  Chippawa 
passed  on  bridges,  the  one  over  Street's 
near  the  Americans  and  the  other  over 
the  Chippawa  near  the  British.  This 
was  the  position  of  the  respective  par- 
ties on  the  morning  of  the  5th  when 
General  Brown  was  expecting  to  attack 
the  British,  and  they  in  turn  determin- 
ed to  anticipate  it,  by  a  sortie  from  the 
lines  of  Chippawa.  It  was  a  long  day 
in  summer;  the  earth  was  dry  and  dusty, 
and  the  sun  bright  and  hot  when  the 
best  troops  of  Britain  and  America  met, 
as  in  tournaments  of  old,  to  test  their 
skill,  their  firmness,  and  their  courage 
on  the  banks  of  the  Niagara. 

The  day  began  with  the  skirmishes 
of  light  troops.  The  British  militia  and 
the  Indians  occupied  the  wood  on  the 
Americans  left,  and  about  noon  annoy- 
ed the  American  piquets  placed  on  the 
flank.  General  Porter,  with  volunteers, 
militia  and  some  friendly  Indians  of  the 
Six  Nations,  soon  engaged  them,  and, 
after  some  skirmishing,  drove  them 
through  the  wood  back  upon  Chippawa. 
Here  the  British,  finding  that  their 
main  army  under  (xeneral  Riall  was  ad- 
van  ciuj 


Porter,  compelling  his  command  to 
give  way.  In  spite  of  bis  own  efforts 
and  personal  gallantry,  these  light 
troops  broke  and  tied,  at  sight  of  the 
formidable  array  of  Riall. 

It  was  now  about  four  o'clock.  Gen- 
eral Brown  was  then  in  tlie  woods  with 
Porter;  when  a  cloud  of  dust  arose  to- 
ward Chippawa,  and  tiring  was  heard. 
This  apprised  him  that  the  British  army 
was  advancing.  At  this  very  moment, 
Gen.  Scott, in  ignorance  of  the  British  ad- 
vance, was  moving  his  brigade  towards 
the  plain,  simply  for  the  purpose  of 
drill.  Near  the  bridge  over  Street's 
Creek  he  met  General  Brown,  who  said, 
"the  enemy  is  advancing.  You  will 
have  a  light."  Gen.  Brown  passed  to 
the  rear,  to  put  Ripley's  brigade  in 
motion,  and  to  reassemble  the  light 
troops  behind  Street's  Creek.  It  was 
not  till  he  arrived  at  the  bridge,  over 
Street's  Creek,  200  yards  to  the  ri^ht 
of  his  camp  of  the  night  before,  that 
Scott  saw  the  enemy.  The  army  of 
Kiall  had  crossed  the  bridge  over  Chip- 
pa\\a  Creek,  and  displayed  itself  on  the 
plain  before  described.  It  was  compos- 
ed of  the  100th  regiment  under  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Marquis  of  Tweedale,  the 
1st  or  Ilo3'^al  Scots  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Gordon,  a  portion  of  the  8th  or 
King's  regiment,  a  detachment  of  the 
Royal  Artillery,  a  detachment  of  the 
Royal  19th  Light  Dragoons,  and  a  por- 
tion of  Canada  militia  and  Indians. 
The  main  body  of  these  troops  were 
among  the  best  in  the  British  army. 

This  force  was  supported  by  a  heavy 
battery  of  nine  pieces,  within  point 
blank  range  of  the  American  troops. 
Under  the  fire  of  this  battery  the  corps 
of  Scott  passed  the  bridge  in  i)erfect 


58. 


order  but,  with  some  loss.  His  first  and 
second  battalions,  under  Majors  Leaven- 
worth and  McNeil,  after  crossing  form- 
ed a  line  to  the  front,  which  brought 
them  opposed  respectively  to  the  left 
and  centre  of  the  enemy.  The  third 
battalion  under  Major  Jesup  obliqued 
in  column  to  the  left,  and  advanced  to 
attack  the  right  of  the  euemv,  which 
extended  into  the  woods.  Captain  Tow- 
son  with  his  artillery  was  station  ed  on 
the  right,  resting  in  the  road  to  Chip- 
pawa. 

Without  going  into  further  detail  we 
would  simply  say  that  the  action  now 
became  general.  Major  Jesup  now  in 
the  woods,  and  out  of  view,  engaged 
and  held  in  check  the  enemy's  right 
wing.  The  plain  widened  on  the  flank, 
and  the  enemy's  main  line  continued  to 
advance.  Jessup  having  thus  held  in 
check  one  battalion  in  the  woods,  the 
engagement  there  gave  the  enemy  a 
new  right  flank  upon  the  plain.  Gener- 
al Scott,  who  had  continued  alternately 
to  advance  and  tire,  was  now  not  more 
than  80  paces  from  the  enemy.  The 
enemy  having  a  new  flank,  Scott  took 
advantage  of  the  enlarged  interval  be- 
tween Leavenworth  and  McNeil,  to 
throw  the  left  flank  of  McNeils's  battal- 
ian  forward  on  its  right,  so  that  it  stood 
obliquely  to  the  enemy's  charge  and 
flanked  him  a  little  on  his  new  right. 
At  this  moment.  Gen.  Scott  called  aloud 
to  McNeil's  battalion,  which  had  not  a 
recruit  in  it :  "The  enemy  says  that 
we  are  good  at  a  long  shot,  but  cannot 
stand  the  cold  iron,  i  call  upon  the 
Eleventh  instantly  to  give  the  lie  to 
that  slander.  Charge  !  "  This  move- 
ment was  executed  with  decisive  effect. 
A  corresponding  charge  was  also  made 


59. 


by  Leavenworth,  who  held  an  oblique 
position  on  our  right.  These  charges, 
sustained  by  the  flank  fire  of  Towson's 
artillery  o*^n  the  right,  quickly  put 
the  enemy  to  rout. 

In  the  mean  time,  and  nearly  at  the 
same,  Major  Jesup,  commanding  the 
left  flank  battalion,  finding  himself 
pressed  in  front  and  flank,  ordered  his 
men  to  ''support  arms  and  advance." 
This  order  was  promptly  obeyed  amidst 
a  deadly  and  destructive  fire.  Having 
gained  a  more  secure  position,  he  re- 
turned so  severe  a  tire  as  caused  them 
to  retire.  Thus  was  the  whole  British 
line  fairly  routed  in  a  field  action  on  an 
open  plain.  They  fled  to  their  intrench- 
nients  beyond  Ghippawa  Creek,  hotly 
pursued  by  Scott  to  the  distance  of  half 
musket  shot  of  Chippawa  Bridge.  He 
took  many  prisoners,  leaving  the  plain 
behind  strewn  with  the  dead  and 
wounded  of  both  nations. 

The  contending  forces  on  the  British 
side,  according  to  the  British  Adjutant- 
General's  report,  dated  the  13th  of  July, 
1814,  in  giving  a  return  of  the  killed 
and  wounded,  enumerates  the  1st  regi- 
ment, (Boyal  Scots)  the  8th,  (Queen's) 
the  100th,  (Marquis  of  Twedale's)  a  de- 
tachment of  Royal  19th,  (dragoons)  a 
detachment  of  artillery  and  a  portion 
of  Canada  Militia.  These  regiments 
were  not  full,  but  altogether  numbered 
about  2,100  men.  Of  which  138  were 
killed,  319  wounded  and  46  missing; 
total  loss  503. 

The  American  troops  were  the  8th, 
11th  and  25th  infantry,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  the  22nd.  Towson's  artillery 
and  Porter's  Volunteers,  making 
1900  men,  all  told,  of  which  60  were 
killed,   248    wounded  and  19  missing, 


GO. 


making  a  total  loss  of  327,  making-  a 
graucl  total  loss  of  H30  from  about  4,000 
men. 

A  British  officer  who  wrote  at  the 
timesaid/*Numeroiis  as  were  the  battles 
of  Napoleon,  and  brave  as  were  his 
soldiers,  I  do  not  believe  that  he,  the 
greatest  warrior  that  ever  lived,  can 
produce  an  instance  of  a  contest  so  well 
maintained,  or,  in  proportion  to  num- 
bers engaged,  so  bloody,  as  that  at 
Chippawa." 

The  battle  was  fought  on  the  5th  day 
of  July,  1814,  on  Chippawa  Plains,  and 
was  an  exciting  and  in  some  degree  a 
poetic  scene.  It  was  fought  at  the 
close  of  a  long,  bright,  summer  day. 
On  one  side  rolled  the  waters  of  the 
deep  blue  Niagara,  on  the  other  was 
seen  the  verdure  of  the  northern  forest. 
The  plain  on  which  the  hostile  forces  met 
was  level  and  smooth,  as  if  prepared  for 
the  meeting  of  the  warriors  of  ancient 
knighthood.  The  best  troops  of  England 
wheeled  into  it  over  Chippawa  Bridge 
and  the  regiments  of  America,  cool  and 
determined,  marched  to  meet  them  in 
combat.  The  sun  shone  down,  and 
brilliant  arms  flashed  in  its  beams. 
Each  movement  of  the  troops  was  dis- 
tinct. As  the  battle  deepened,  fine 
bands  of  music  mingled  their  melody,  in 
sudden  bursts,  with  the  roar  of  artillery 
and  the  moans  of  the  wounded. 

The  battle  ended  and  many  were  the 
dead  on  that  dusty  plain,  whose  last 
groans  expired  with  the  last  rays  of  the 
sun.  Darkness  came  on,  and  wearied 
with  battle  and  thirsty  from  heat,  each 
army  retired  to  its  camp,  the  Americans 
being  victorious.  The  dead  wok&  not 
from  their  bloody  beds,  the  living  sank 
to  rest. 


Gl. 


I^attle  of   tundy's  [^ane, 


After  the  campaign  of  1813,  Fort  Mes- 
sasaugua  was  erected  near  the  mouth  of 
Niagara  river  and  added  to  the  defences 
of  Fort  (^eorge.  These  forts  General 
Kiall,  the  British  commander,  reinforc- 
ed and  then  retired  to  Burlington 
Heights,  near  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario, 
soon  after  the  battle  of  Chippawa. 

On  the  10th  of  July,  1814,  the  Ameri- 
can camp  was  removed  to  Queenston, 
with  the  view  of  capturing  these 
defences  before  commencing  any  inter- 
ior operations.  To  accomplish  this  ob- 
ject (xeneral  Brown  sent  to  Sackett's 
Harbor  for  heavy  cannon,  which  were 
to  have  been  transported  by  the  Ameri- 
can vessels  to  the  place  of  action,  but  as 
Commodore  Chauncey  lay  sick  at  the 
time,  and  the  enemy  had  a  momentary 
superiority  on  the  lake,  the  intentions 
of  the  commander  in  regard  to  the  ports 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  were  dis- 
appointed. 

Gen. Brown  theh  determined  to  attack 
Burlington  Heights;  but  to  induce  the 
enemy  to  descend,  and  at  the  same  time 
draw  a  small  supply  of  provisions  from 
Schlosser,  he  masked  his  intentions  by 
feigning  a  retreat  up  the  Niagara, 
recrossed  Chippawa  Creek  and  en- 
camped. 

Had  this  movement  failed  to  with- 
draw the  British  troops  from  the 
Heights,  it  was  intended  to  use  the  25th 
as  a  day  of  rest  and  on  the  26th  to  send 
General  Scott  forward  by  the  road  from 
Queenston,  and  force  Riall  to  action,  no 
matter  how  strongly  he  might  be  posted. 
But  events  determined  otherwise,   and 


62. 


what  was  intended  to  be  a  day  of  rest, 
was  one  of  the  most  active  and  bloody 
da3's  of  the  campaign. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  25th,  amidst 
general  relaxation,  General  Brown 
received  a  note  from  a  colonel  of  militia 
whose  regiment  occupied  two  or  three 
posts  on  the  American  side  of  the 
Niagara,  stating  in  the  most  precise 
terms,  that  the  enemy  had  thrown 
a  thousand  men  across  from  Queenston  to 
Lewiston  for  some  reason  not  exactly 
understood.  But  General  Brown  con- 
jectured that  it  was  the  enemy's  inten- 
tion to  capture  our  magazines,  and  to 
intercept  supplies  coming  from  Buffalo. 
In  order  to  recall  him  from  this  object. 
Brown  immediately  determined  to 
threaten  the  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Niagara. 

In  less  than  20  minutes  Scott's  com- 
mand was  put  in  motion  for  that  pur- 
pose. His  force  consisted  of  four  small 
battalions,  under  Col.  Brady,  and 
Majors  Jesup,  Leavenworth  and  McNeil, 
Captain  Towson's  artillery,  and  Captain 
Harris's  detachment  of  regular  and 
volunteer  cavalry;  in  all  amounting  to 
1,300  men.  So  hurriedly  did  they  start 
that  there  was  not  time  to  call  in  the 
guards  belonging  to  these  v3orps. 

About  two  miles  from  the  camp  and 
just  above  the  Falls,  Scott  discovered  a 
few  British  officers,  mouted,  who  as  it 
turned  out,  were  in  advance  to  recon- 
noitre, and  soon  learned  that  the  enemy 
was  in  some  little  force  below  and  only 
intercepted  from  view  by  a  small 
wood' 

In  this  situation,  General  Scott  reflec- 
ted a  moment  on  what  course  would  be 
best  to  pursue.  He  was  instructed  to 
march  rapiv'^ly  on  the  forts,   under  posi- 


63. 


tire  information  (given  as  we  have  nar- 
rated to  General  Brown,)  that  Riall  had, 
three  hours  before,  thrown  half  his  force 
across  the  Niagara  at  Lewiston.  Re- 
flecting that  the  whole  had  been  beaten 
on  the  5th  inst.,he  lost  no  time  in  recon- 
noitreing,  but  dashed  forward  to  dis- 
perse what  he  thought  was  the  remnant 
of  the  British  army  opposed  to  him. 

After  dispatching  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General  Jones  to  General  Brown  with 
the  information  that  the  enemy  was  in 
front,  he  proceeded  to  i>ass  the  wood, 
and  was  greatly  astonished  to  find 
directly  in  front,  drawn  up  in  order  of 
battle,  on  Luudy's  Lane  with  nine  pieces 
of  artillery,  a  larger  force  than  he 
had  encountered  at  Chippawa  20  days 
before.  The  ix)sition  he  was  in  was  ex- 
tremely critical.  To  stand  fast  was  out 
of  the  question,  being  already  under  a 
heavy  tire  of  the  enemies  artillery  and 
musketry.  To  retreat  was  equally  as 
hazardous:  for  there  is  always  in  such  a 
case  the  probability  of  confusion,  and 
at  this  time  the  danger  of  creating  a 
panic  in  the  reserve,  then  supposed  to 
be  coming  up,  and  which  had  not  been 
in  the  previous  battle. 

Scott  saw  that  no  measure  but  one  of 
boldness  would  succeed.  He  therefore 
determined  to  maintain  the  battle 
against  superior  numbers  and  positions 
until  the  reserve  came  up,  thus  giving 
General  Riall  the  idea  that  the  whole 
American  army  was  at  hand.  This 
would  prevent  him  from  profiting  by 
his  numerical  strength  to  attack  our 
flanks  and  rear.  He  would  thus  lose 
the  initial,  a  matter  of  no  small  impor- 
tance in  military  enterprise.  The 
scheme  succeeded,  and  for  a  long  time 
the  enemy  was  kept  on  the  defensive. 


64. 


till  the  American  reserve  came   up   and 
entered  into  the  action. 

It  appears  from  General  Drummond's 
report  on  July  26th,  that  he  thou<»'ht  his 
position  in  Lund.v's  Lane  was  attacked 
by  the  whole  American  army.  He 
thanks  the  army  for  "repulsing  the 
efforts  of  a  numerous  and  determined 
enemy  to  carry  the  position  of  Lundy's 
Lane."  But  the  truth  was  that  the 
American  combatants  stood  for  more 
than  an  hour  and  maintained  a  contest 
against  a  force  seven  times  their  num- 
ber. 

In  the  meanwhile  Scott  had  sent  back 
to  General  Brown,  Lieutenant  Doug- 
lass, as  well  as  Major  Jones,  to  report 
the  condition  of  affairs.  The  first  was 
to  report  that  the  remnant  of  Kiall's 
army  was  maneouveriug  to  protect  the 
detachment  thrown  over  the  Niagara; 
the  second  was  to  inform  the  general 
that  so  far  from  being  diminished,  the 
British  army  was  actually  reinforced, 
and  thus  to  hasten  up  the  reserve. 

On  the  British  side  the  facts  were 
these:  In  the  night  before,  the  night  of 
the  24th,  Lieutenaut-General  Sir  Gor- 
don Drammond  had  arrived,  in  the 
British  fleet,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niag- 
ara, with  a  large  reinforcement  from 
Kingston  and  Prescott.  This  was 
wholly  unknown  to  General  Brown. 
Drummoudhad,in  advance,  sent  instruc- 
tions to  Riall  to  meet  him  on  the  25th, 
on  the  Niagara.  Accordingly  Biall  had 
marched  up  the  very  road  it  had  been 
arranged  Scott  was  to  take  on  the  26th. 
He  had  come  b3^  Queen ston  without 
putting  a  man  over  the  Niagara.  He 
had  continued  his  route,  as  the  advance 
of  Drummond's  army  towards  the 
Falls.     On  the  way  he  had  already  been 


65. 


joined  by  two  of  the  battalions  which 
had  come  up  in  the  fleet.  The  others 
arrived  successively,  at  intervals  of  half 
an  hour  or  an  liour,  after  the  action 
had  commenced. 

The  battle  began  about  40  minutes  be- 
fore sunset  and  like  its  predecessor  at 
Chippawa  was  the  closinaj  drama  of  a 
louf]f  and  warm  summer's  day.  And  like 
that,  too,  it  signalized  among  the  affairs 
of  men  a  spot  which  in  the  world  of 
nature  had  been  rendered  illustrious 
by  one  of  the  great  and  glorious  works 
of  God. 

When  the  battle  was  about  to  begin 
just  as  the  setting  sun  sent  his  red 
beams  from  the  west,  they  fell  upon 
the  spray,  which  continually  goes  up, 
like  incense,  from  the  deep,  dashing 
torrent  of  Niagara.  The  bright  light 
was  divided  into  its  primal  hues,  and  a 
rainbow  rose  from  the  waters,  encircling 
the  head  of  the  advancing  column.  In 
a  more  superstitious  age  such  a  sign 
would  have  been  regarded,  like  the 
Roman  auguries,  as  a  precursor  of  vic- 
tory. Even  now  this  bow  of  promise 
furnished  the  inspiration  of  hope,  with 
the  colors  of  beauty. 

The  sun  had  now  gone  down,  and 
darkness  came  on,  but  no  reinforce- 
ments had  yet  appeared.  But  the  gal- 
lant band  maintained  the  battle, 
although  an  officer  reminded  the  gener- 
al that  the  rule  for  retiring  was  accom- 
plished since  more  than  one-fourth  of 
his  number  was  killed  or  wounded, 
among  whom  were  many  of  his  officers. 
The  brave  Col.  Brady  had  been  the  first 
tt>  form  his  regiment,  and  on  that  the 
loss  fell  the  heaviest.  Himself  twice 
wounded,  he  was  entreated,  by  those 
who  observed  liira  p.ale  from   the  loss  of 


66. 


blood,  to  quit  the  field.  "Not  while  I 
can  stand,"  was  the  reply,  worthy  of 
Leonidas. 

It  was  uow  nine  o'clock.  The  ene- 
my's right  had  been  driven  back  from 
its  flank  assault  with  great  loss.  His 
left  was  turned  and  cut  off.  His  center 
alone  remained  Arm.  It  was  posted  on 
a  ridge  and  supported  by  nine  pieces  of 
artillery. 

Another  battalion  of  Drummond's 
reinforcements  had  already  arrived,  and 
a  fourth  one  was  only  a  few  miles  be- 
hind. Such  was  the  state  of  the  field 
when  the  reinforcements  appeared. 
Gen.  Ripley,  by  whom  it  was  command- 
ed, had  been  ordered  to  form  his  bri- 
gade, on  the  skirt  of  a  wood  to  the  right 
of  Gen.  Scott.  But,  finding  that  this 
position  was  not  favorable,  he  took  the 
responsibility  of  first  moving  nearer  to 
the  British.  For  this  purpose  he  was 
about  to  pass  the  brigade  of  Scott,  but 
coming  between  him  and  the  enemy,  he 
found  that  he  was  suffering  severely 
from  their  cannon.  Ripley  then  con- 
ceived the  bold  thought  of  storming  the 
formidable  battery.  "Col.  Miller," 
said  he,  "can  you  take  yonder  battery  ?  " 
"  I  will  try,"  was  the  answer  of  that  heart 
of  oak— a  phrase  now  familiar  to  all 
American  lips.  At  the  head  of  the 
21st  regiment,  he  calmly  took  his 
course,  guided  by  Gen.  Scott,  who  was 
perfectly  acquainted  with  the  ground, 
till  he  had  the  right  direction,  marched 
up  to  the  mouth  of  the  blazing  cannon, 
around  which  the  enemy  had  rallied, 
bayonetted  the  men  while  firing  and 
possessed  himself  of  their  guns.  Ripley 
had  moved  at  the  same  time,  at  the 
head  of  the  23rd  regiment,  to  the  attack 
of  the  infantry,  and  drove  them  down 


67. 


the  eminence,   which    was  the  key  of 
of  their  position. 

Here  Ripley  formed  his  brigade. 
Gen.  Porter,  with  his  vohiuteers,  was 
on  the  right  and  the  artillery  of  Towson 
in  the  center.  The  enemy  rallied  in 
their  might  and  advanced  to  regain 
their  position  and  artillery.  The  Amer- 
icans perceived  that  the  euemj^  was 
coming  on,  but  conld  not  distinctly 
ascertain  from  what  point.  The  moon 
had  risen,  but  dark  clouds  were  in  the 
heavens,  and  the  light  vv^as  fitful. 
Sounds  came  indistinctly  mingled  from 
every  quarter.  The  roar  of  the  catar- 
act, the  shrieks  and  groans  of  the  d^'ing 
and  wounded,  the  discharge  of  artillery, 
were  all  heard,  as  well  as  the  rush  of 
the  enemj^'s  attack.  In  this  situation 
Bipley  gave  his  troops  the  order  to  wait 
til  the  enemy's  bayonets  touched  their 
own,  and  to  take  aim  by  the  light  from 
the  discharge  of  their  muskets.  The 
aim  of  the  Americans  was  good  and 
numbers  of  their  brave  enemy  fell. 
They  closed  up  their  ranks  and  came  on 
with  the  bayonet.  The  Americans 
stood  the  charge  and  sturdily  pushed 
back  the  thrust.  For  20  minutes  this 
deadly  strife  continued  when  the  veter- 
ans of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  retreated 
in  disorder.  But  they  renewed  the  at- 
tack until  they  were  four  times 
repulsed.  At  length,  about  midnight, 
they  ceased  to  contend,  and  left  their 
position  and  artillery  to  the  Americans. 
Although  the  brunt  of  the  battle  was 
on  the  eminence,  other  efforts  were 
being  made  in  different  parts  of  the 
field.  The  brigade  of  Scott,  shattered 
as  it  was,  having  formed  anew,  was  not 
content  to  look  idl3^  on,  while  their 
brethern,    who    had    stepped    between 


es. 


them  and  death,  were  now  bleeding  in 
their  turn.  Gen.  Scott  charged  at 
their  head,  through  an  opening  in  Rip- 
ley's line,  but  in  the  confusion  and 
darkness  of  the  scene,  he  passed  be- 
tween the  iires  of  the  combatants.  He 
afterwards  in  the  fight  took  his  post 
on  Ripley's  left.  In  another  quarter. 
Col.  Jessup,  with  only  200  men,  advanced 
upon  the  enemy,  brought  them  to  close 
action,  drove  them  from  the 
ground  and  captured  Gen.  Riall  with 
other  officers  and  soldiers  to  a  number 
almost  equal  to  his  own. 

Major  Ketchum,  of  the  25th  regiment 
of  infantr3\  was  the  officer  who  person- 
ally made  Gen.  Riall  a  prisoner.  The 
British  general  was  brought  to  Scott 
by  Major  Ketchum.  and  directions  were 
given  that  the  distinguished  prisoner  be 
taken  to  the  rear,  and  treated  with  the 
greatest  possible  kindness.  Riall,  badly 
wounded,  lay  some  days  in  the  same 
house  in  Williamsville,  with  Scott, 
yet  more  severely  crippled. 

The  latter  as  a  special  favor,  obtained 
permission  from  our  government,  for 
Riall  to  return  to  England  on  parole, 
and  the  same  permission  for  Riall's 
friend.  Major  Wilson,  also  badly 
wounded,  captured  at  Chippawa.  Such 
favors  were,  however,  at  that  time  only 
granted  by  the  American  government; 
Sir  George  Prevost  and  the  British 
ministry  never  consented  to  place  on 
parole  or  to  exchange  a  prisoner  after 
the  Americans  confined  the  23  hostages 
in  1813. 

In  this  sanguinary  contest  the  total 
loss  of  the  British  was  878.  Generals 
Drummond  and  Riall  were  among  the 
wounded.  The  American  loss  in  killed, 
wounded    and    missing     was    860.    Of 


69. 


these  11  officers  were  killed,  among 
whom  were  Major  McFarland  aud 
Captain  Ritchie,  i'ifty-six  officers  were 
wounded,  among  whom  were  Generals 
Brown  and  Scott;  it  was  not,  however, 
until  towards  the  close  of  the  action  that 
the  two  officers  highest  in  command 
were  disabled.  Gen.  Brown,  on  receiv- 
ing his  wound,  gave  notice  to  Gen.  Rip- 
ley that  he  was  left  in  command,  but  or- 
dered him  to  collect  the  wounded,  re- 
move the  artillery  and  retire  to  the 
camp  at  Chippawa. 

General  Brown  in  his  official  report 
said,  "While  retiring  from  the  field,  I 
saw  aud  felt  that  the  victory  was  com- 
plete on  our  part,  if  proper  measures 
were  promptly  adopted  to  secure  it. 
The  exhaustion  oi  the  men  was,  however, 
such  as  made  some  refreshments 
necessary.  They  particularly  required 
water." 

Unfortunately  the  Americans  lost  the 
trophies  of  their  hard-earned  victory 
as  no  means  of  removing  the  captured 
artillery  were  at  hand,  and  General 
Ripley  was  obliged  to  leave  it  on  the 
field  of  battle.  The  British  on  learning 
that  the  Americans  had  abandoned  the 
field,  re-occupied  it  immediately,  and 
taking  advantage  of  this  circumstance, 
their  officers  in  their  dispatches  to  their 
government  boastfully  claimed  the  vic- 
tory. 

The  world  has  seen  mightier  armies 
moved  over  more  memorable  fields  and 
followed  by  louder  reports  of  the  far 
resounding  trumpet  of  fame;  a  bloodier 
scene  for  those  engaged,  a  severer  test 
of  courage  and  of  discipline,  or  one 
whose  action  was  more  closely  associated 
with  the  sublime  and  beautiful  in  nature 
the  world  has  not  seen.      The  armies 


70. 


were  drawu  out  near  the  shores  of  that 
rapid  river  whose  ciirreut  miu^'les  lake 
with  lake,  and  hard  by  was  that  cata- 
ract whose  world  of  waters  rushes  over 
the  precipice,  and,  rushini^,  roars  into 
the  o-uif  below.  The  ceaseless  si>ray 
rises  like  incense  to  the  Eternal  Father. 
The  beams  of  sun,  moon  and  stars  fall 
ceasely  on  that  spray  and  are  sent  back 
in  many  colored  hues  to  the  source  of 
light.  So  it  was  when  wheeling  into  the 
field  of  battle  the  slant  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  returning  from  the  spray  en- 
circled the  advancing  column  with  rain- 
bow colors.  The  sun  Avent  down,  to 
many  an  eye,  to  raise  no  more  on 
earth. 

With  the  darkness  came  the  greater 
rage  of  battle — charge  after  charge  was 
made.  For  a  time  the  faint  beams  of 
the  moon  struggled  with  the  smoke  and 
gave  a  little  light  to  the  combatants:  Ijut 
it  was  but  little.  The  moon  itself  be- 
came obscured,  and 'no  light  save  the 
rapid  Hashes  of  njusket  and  cannon 
pierced  the  heavy  clouds. 

The  light  raged  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  From  the  height  on  the  ridge 
the  batter3'  of  the  enemy  still  poured  its 
deadly  lire. 

It  was  then  that  the  gallant  Miller 
said:  "  I  will  trj'."  It  was  then  that 
Scott  piloted  his  column  through  the 
darkness  to  Lundy's  Lane.  It  was  then 
that  the  brave  regiment  charged  to  the 
cannon's  mouth.  The  battery  was  tak- 
en and  victory  rests  with  the  American 
army. 

It  was  midnight.  The  battle  is  ended. 
The  army  faint  and  weary  drags  itself 
from  the  field.  The  well  sink  to  their 
couch  to  dream  of  homes  far  awa3^ 
The    wounded  groan    in    their    painful 


71. 


hospital.  The  dead  rest  until  the 
last  trumpet  shall  summon  them  to  the 
last  array.  The  warrior  with  his  gar- 
ments rolled  in  blood  has  left  the  scene 
of  struggles,  pain  and  death.  Some 
kind  friend  may  have  sought  him  wheth- 
er dead  or  alive;  but  the  war-drum  has 
ceased  to  beat;  the  artiller}'  ceased  to 
roll;  and  now  the  solemn,  sonorous  fall 
of  Niagara  is  to  the  dead  their  requiem, 
and  to  the  living  their  song  of  glory . 


Orummond   at    ft.   G'^'® 


Gen.  Brown  had  been  taken  wounded 
from  the  field  of  Lundy's  Lane.  To- 
wards the  close  of  the  battle,  Scott,  also 
twice  wounded,  was  borne  out  of  the 
action. 

General  Brown  did  not,  however,  at 
once  resign  the  command.  He  direct- 
ed Gen.  Ripley  to  return  to  camp,  after 
bringing  off  the  dead,  the  wounded  and 
the  artillery.  But  unfortunately,  for 
the  want  of  horses,  harness  and  drag- 
ropes,  the  captured  artillery  of  the 
enemy  was  left  behind— a  circumstance 
much  regretted. 

The  American  army,  now  reduced  to 
1,000  men,  fell  back  to  Chippawa,  and 
there  converted  the  works  thrown  up 
by  the  enemy  into  defenses  against 
him.  On  the^  report  that  Gen.  Drum- 
mond,  at  the  head  of  5,000  British,  was 
fast  approaching,  the  American  camp 
was  hastily  broken  up.  its  position  aban- 
doned, and  a  retreat  made  to  Fort 
Erie,   where  they  strongly  intrenched 


72. 


themselves  by  making  sncli  defences  as 
was  iu  their  power.  On  the  5th  of 
August,  by  order  of  Gen.  Bro-wn,  Briga- 
dier-General Gaines  arrived  from 
Sackett's  Harbor  and  took  the  com- 
mand. 

On  the  3rd  of  August,  General 
L)iuiumond  appL-ared  in  the  neigbor- 
hood  of  FortErif,  and  findingit impossi- 
ble to  carry  it  by  f-torm,  was  compelled  to 
commence  a  regular  siege.  Bo  between 
the  3rd  and  12th  of  August,  Drummond 
employed  himself  in  endeavoring  to  cut 
off  the  American's  provisions,  and  in  the 
preparatory  measures  of  opening 
trenches  and  establishing  batteries.  On 
the  morning  of  the  13th  he  commenced 
a  cannonade  and  bombardment.  This 
was  continued  through  the  day,  renew- 
ed on  the  morning  of  the  lith  and  con- 
tinued until  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
but  without  any  serious  injury  to  the 
American  ranks.  On  that  day  General 
Gaines  doubled  his  guards  aud  prepar-  ^ 
ed  for  an  assault.  xA.t  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  15th  a  heavy  British 
column  was  found  approaching  Tow- 
son's  batter\^  stationed  at  the  northwest 
angle  of  the  works, where  it  was  received 
by  the  cannon  of  Towsou  and  the  mus- 
ketry under  the  gallant  Major  Wood, 
aud  was  effectually  repulsed. 

A  second  attack  was  also  repulsed, 
when  the  British  column  changed  its 
direction  and  attacked  the  western 
angle,  with  just  as  little  success. 

In  the  mean  time  the  ceuter  column 
under  Colonel  Drummond.  after  a  san- 
guiuary  conflict,  succeeded  in  scaling 
the  walls  and  taking  possession  of  the 
exterior  bastions  of  tlie  old  fort. 
While  this  savage  man  was  denying 
mercy  to  the  conquered   Americans,    a 


73. 


quantity  of  cartridges  in  a  small  stone 
building  within  the  bastion,  exploded 
scattering  death  and  confusion  around 
and  expelling  the  British  from  the  fort. 
They  suffered  severely,  having  left  be- 
hind a  large  number  of  killed,  wounded 
and  prisoners.  According  to  the  Brit- 
ish official  report  their  loss  on  this  day 
was  57  killed,  of  whom  were  Colonels 
Scott  andDrummond,  313  wounded  and 
539  missing.  The  total  loss  of  the 
Americans  was  but  84. 

In  fine,  the  British  were  most  gallant- 
ly and  effectually  defeated  in  their  at- 
tempt to  storm  Fort  Erie. 

After  this  repulse,  both  armies  re- 
mained in  a  state  of  inactivity  for  some 
time.  General  Gaines  having  been 
wounded  by  the  bursting  of  a  shell,  the 
command  again  devolved  on  General 
Eipley. 


Sortie   yrom  ft.   G^^^^:. 


On  the  2nd  of  September,  General 
Brown,  though  not  yet  fully  recovered 
from  the  wounds  received  at  Lundy's 
Lane,  resumed  the  command  of  his  di- 
vision. After  a  full  examination  of  the 
topographical  position  of  Drummond's 
lines,  he  thought  that  a  bold  and  vigor- 
ous sortie  would  be  more  than  mere 
defence  in  relieving  the  American  army 
from  the  siege  of  the  enemy.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  morning  of  the  17th  of 
September  General  Brown,  paraded  his 
troops,  to  the  number  of  about  2,000,  in 
nearly  equal  proportion  of  regulars 
and  militia,  for  a  sortie  on  the  enemy's 


74. 


works.  The  army  of  Sir  Gordon 
Drummond  liad  then  infested  Fort 
Erie  for  45  days.  During  that  time 
they  had  erected  regular  lines  and  bat- 
teries. They  had  bombarded  the 
American  defences  and  made  an  unsuc- 
cessful attack  upon  them.  At  this  time 
they  had  erected  two  batteries  and  were 
about  two  open  a  third.  Their  forces 
were  divided  into  three  brigads,  each 
of  which  in  turn  guarded  the  batteries, 
while  the  other  two  were  encamped 
about  two  miles  distant,  out  of  reach  of 
the  American  cannon,  but  near  enough 
to  support  the  troops  at  the  batteries. 

In  this  position  of  affairs  General 
Brown  determined  to  storm  the  bat- 
teries, destroy  the  cannon  and  defeat 
the  brigade.  So  at  2.30  p.  m.  of  the 
17tb  of  August  General  Porter  left  the 
camp  at  the  head  of  a  detachment  to 
penetrate  a  passage  through  the  woods. 
Being  perfectly  acquainted  with  the 
grouud,  he  with  his  men,  trod  silentl.y 
and  circuitously  along,  when,  arriving 
at  their  destined  point,  they  rushed  upon 
the  enemy  and  so  successful  was  the  en- 
terprise that  in  30  minutes  batteries 
No.  2  and  3  were  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Americans  with  two  block 
houses.  Soon  after  battery  No.  1  was 
abandoned  and  the  magazine  of  No. 
3  blown  up.  The  cannon  were  spiked 
or  dismantled  and  the  garrison  taken 
prisoners,  but  the  brave  Colonels  Gib- 
son and  Wood  had  fallen  at  the  head  of 
their  columns. 

So  great  was  the  British  loss  that  it 
became  apparent  that  the  siege  of  Fort 
Erie  could  not  be  protracted  with  any 
hope  of  success. 

Accordingly,  Lieut. -General  Drum- 
mond broke  up    his  camp  during  the 


night  of  the  21st  of  September  find  re- 
turned to  bis  iutrenchments  behind 
Chippawa  Creek. 

Soon  after  this,  the  arrival  of  General 
Izard  placed  the  Americans  on  a  footing 
which  once  more  enabled  them  to  com- 
mence oUensive  operations;  and  leaving 
Fort  Erie  in  command  of  Colonel  Hind- 
man,  General  Brown  again  advanced 
towards  Chippawa.  Near  this  place 
an  affair  occured  on  the  20th  of  October 
in  which  Colonel  Bissell,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  1,0U0  men,  gained  an  advantage 
over  a  detachment  of  1,200,  under  the 
Marquis  of  Tweedale. 

On  the  10th  of  November  the  Ameri- 
ican  army  abandoned  and  destroyed 
Fort  Erie,  crossed  the  river  and  retired 
into  winter  quarters  at  Buffalo,  when  the 
war  on  the  Niagara  Frontier  was  in  fact 
ended. 


Resume. 


During  the  year  1814  there  had  been  a 
succession  of  brilliant  military  actions, 
and  much  courage,  skill  and  energy 
exhibited.  Taken  all  in  all,  no  cam- 
paign in  American  history  has  displayed 
more  of  the  qualities  of  mind  and  body, 
art  and  science,  which  are  more  to  the 
character  of  a  true  soldier  or  the  success 
of  an  army  in  action.  In  a  little  less 
than  three  months  the  army  of  Biall 
and  Drummond,  twice  renewed  and  re- 
inforced by  troops  from  Europe,  had 
been  defeated  in  four  pitched  battles. 

In  the  descriptions  we  have  given  of 
the  several,  the  numbers  engaged  on 
either  side  are  stated  in   each  one,  as 


76. 


near  as  the  materials   preserved  by   his- 
tory will  allow  us  to  estimate. 

The  following  table  will  show  the 
total  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  prison- 
ers taken  by  each  army  in  the  differ- 
ent battles : 

Americau  British 
Loss.       Loss. 
Battle  of  Chippawa,  fought 

July  5th,  1814 338  507 

Battle     of     Lundy's   Lane, 

fought  July  25th,  1814 860  878 

Assault  on  Fort  Erie,    Au- 
gust 15th,  1814    84  815 

Sortie     from     Fort     Erie, 

September  17th,  1814  511  900 

1783  3100 

If  the  total  number  of  troops  engaged 
in  the  several  battles  on  both  sides  was 
about  12,000,  it  follows  that  nearly  one 
half  were  among  the  killed,  wounded 
and  prisoners,  which  is  a  loss  exceeding, 
in  proportion,  that  of  the  most  bloody 
battles  of  Napoleon. 


learning  of  tBe  Caroline, 


Although  England  had  governed  the 
Canadas  with  great  moderation,  yet  in 
1837  by  the  instigation  of  W.  L.  Mc- 
Kenzie,  a  party  arose,  who  claiming 
independence,  passed  from  secession  to 
armed  revolt.  And  when  the  flame 
of  insurrection  was  kindled  in  Canada, 
it  was  not  arrested  by  a  mere  line  of 
jurisdiction;  but  it  reached  and  agitated 
the  frontier  inhabitants  of  the  United 
States,  along  the  border  from  the 
hills  of  Vermont  to  the  Huron  of  the 
northwest.     On  the  frontier,  the  citizens 


77. 


enrolled  themselves  as  Canadian  patriots 
or  sympathizers  until  many  of  the 
inhabitants  capable  of  bearing  arms 
were  professed  friends  and  abettors  of 
the  Canadian  movement.  Thousands 
met  in  lodges  along  the  border,  oaths 
of  secrecy  were  administered,  principles 
appointed,  general  and  staff  officers 
chosen,  and,  at  least  for  Upper  Canada, 
a  provisional  government  formed.  The 
President  of  the  United  States  issued 
his  p^'oclamation  enjoining  all  good  citi- 
zens to  observe  the  strictest  neutrality 
towards  the  British  provinces,  but  it 
had  little  effect. 

The  arms  in  the  hands  of  the  citizens 
and  even  those  in  the  State  arsenals 
within  reach  of  the  borders,  were  soon 
seized  or  purloined,  thus  affording 
equipments  to  the  Canadian  patriots. 
A  Mr.  Van  Renssellear,  with  some  700 
followers  crossed  from  Schlosser,  two 
miles  above  Niagara  Falls,  and  took 
possession  of  Navy  Island  on  the  Brit- 
ish side  of  Niagara  River. 

This  idle  invasion,  though  unimpor- 
tant to  the  Canadas,  was  not  without  its 
consequences  in  history.  It  was  follow- 
ed by  a  very  serious  incident,  which  ex- 
cited deep  feeling  in  the  United  States, 
and  was  the  subject  of  much  diplomatic 
correspondence. 

A  small  steamer  called  the  Caroline, 
which  was  built  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in 
1822,  and  had  a  capacity  of  45  tons,  was 
brought  to  New  York,  thence  by  river 
and  canal  to  Lake  Ontario,  where  she 
was  employed  for  some  time  as  a  ferry 
boat.  She  was  then  taken  through  the 
Welland  Canal  to  Lake  Erie,  and  em- 
ployed upon  the  Detroit  River.  In  the 
summer  of  1837  she  was  seized 
for    smuggling,    taken  to  Buffalo  and 


78. 


sold-  It  was  then  that  she  was  engaged 
by  Van  Rensselear  to  act  as  a  ferry-boat 
between  Schlosser  and  Navy  Island. 
But  the  very  night  the  Caroline  com- 
menced her  voyages  between  these  two 
points,  one  hundred  and  fifty  armed 
men  from  the  Canada  side,  in  five  boats 
with  muffled  oars,  proceeded  to  Schlos- 
ser, cut  the  Caroline  loose  from  her 
moorings,  and  setting  her  on  fire  let 
her  drift  over  the  falls.  She  happened 
to  be  full  of  idle  people,  including 
boys,  not  connected  with  Van  Rensse- 
lear, but  who  had  been  attracted  to  the 
frontier  by  the  rumor  of  war,  and  who 
had  simply  begged  a  night's  lodging. 
One  man  named  Durfee  was  killed  and 
several  others  wounded.  When  this 
occurred  a  flame  of  excitement  went  up 
throughout  the  interior  of  the  United 
States.  The  sentiment  of  patriotism 
and  the  feeling  of  revenge  were 
frequently  mingled  together,  and  the 
peace  of  this  country,  and  perhaps  of  all 
other  civilized  nations,  was  threatened 
by  this  act  of  outrage  committed  on  the 
Caroline. 

At  that  time  the  question  was  asked: 
"Why  did  the  English  pass  Navy  Island 
in  Canada  where  the  patriots  had 
hoisted  their  flags  and  waited  for  them, 
and  attack  an  unarmed  boat  in  New 
York  State  ?  "  At  the  anniversary  dinner 
in  Toronto,  in  honor  of  the  "heroes" 
who  defeated  the  Yankees,  the  Hon. 
John  Emsley,  a  member  of  the  Head 
Government  was  present  and  said: 
"After  a  desperate  engagement  of  some 
minutes  she  was  tired  and  rode  the 
waves  a  blazing  beacon  of  infamy,  until 
she  sank  into  the  abyss  below.  (Loud 
cheers.)  Gentlemen  I  glory  in  having 
been  one  of    those   that  destroyed   this 


boat."  The  Montreal  Herald  of 
December  29,  1838,  said:  "Col.  Holmers 
and  the  officers  of  his  brii^ade  held  their 
tirst  regimental  mess  dinner  at  Orr's 
Hotel.  The  room  was  decorated  with 
transparencies  of  Her  Majesty,  the 
Duke  of  WellingtoD,  Brittania,  the 
steamer  Caroline  in  flames  going  over 
the  Falls  of  Niagara,  and  a  globe  with 
the  motto:  'The  British  Empire,  on 
which  the  snn  never  sets.'  Sir  Allan 
McNab  was  toasted  and  many  a  joke 
was  cracked  at  the  expense  of  the  un- 
fortnnate  Americans  on  board  the 
Caroline." 

The  Caroline  was  destroyed  Decem- 
ber 29th,  1837,  and  the  news  reached 
Washington  Jannary  4th.  A  Cabinet 
meeting  was  called  and  General  Scott 
was  told  that  blood  had  been  spilled 
and  he  must  hasten  to  the  frontier. 
Full  power  was  give  him  to  call  for  mil- 
itia, to  put  himself  in  communication 
with  the  United  States  district 
attorneys,  marshalls  and  collectors  in 
order,  through  them,  to  enforce  the  act 
of  neutrality,  the  good  faith  pledged  to 
Great  Britain  by  treaty,  and  to  defend 
our  own  territory,  if  necessary  against 
invasion,  or  to  maintain  peace  through- 
out the  borders. 

In  1812  Scott  appeared  upon  the  same 
theatre  as  the  leader  of  battalions  and 
the  victor  of  battles.  But  now,  rhetoric 
and  diplomacy  were  to  be  his  principal 
weapons,  his  countrymen  and  frienrls 
his  object  of  conquest,  and  a  little  cor- 
respondence with  the  British  authorities 
beyond  the  line,  as  an  episode  to  the 
whole. 

In  order  to  shorten  this  narrative  we 
will  not  stop  to  give  a  history  of  the 
wild  rumors  that    were    afloat    at    that 


80. 


time,  agitating  the  minds  of  the  people 
and  keeping  them  in  a  constant  state  of 
excitement,  causing  them  to  get  up  in 
the  dead  iiours  of  the  night  to  flee  from 
sume  imagiuaiy  foe. 

Not  many  days  after  the  burning  of 
the  Oarohne,  another  steamer,  the 
Barcek)na,  was  cut  out  the  ice  in  Buf- 
falo harbor,  and  taken  down  the  Niagara 
river  to  be  oliered  to  the  patriots,  who 
were  still  on  Navy  Island.  Scott  wished 
to  compel  them  to  discontinue  their 
criminal  enterprise.  He  also  desired  to 
have  them,  on  returning  within  our 
jurisdiction,  arrested  by  the  marshall, 
who  was  always  with  him.  Eor  this 
purpose,  he  sent  an  agent  to  hire  the 
Barcelona  for  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  before  the  patriots  could  get 
means  to  pay  for  her,  or  find  sureties  to 
idemify  her  owners  in  case  of  her  cap- 
ture or  destruction  bj'  the  British,  He 
succeeded  in  all  these  objects.  The 
Barcelona  was  taken  back  to  Bufi'alo, 
and  as  she  slowly  ascended  against  the 
current  on  the  American  side  of  Grand 
Island,  three  armed  British  schooners, 
besides  batteries  on  land  were  in  posi- 
tion, as  the  day  before,  to  sink  her  as 
she  came  out  from  behind  the  island. 
On  the  16th  of  January,  Scott  and  Gov. 
Marcy  stood  on  the  American  shore 
opposite  that  point,  watching  events. 
The  smoke  of  the  approaching  boat 
could  be  seen  in  the  distance,  and  the 
purpose  of  the  British  was  perfectly 
evident  in  all  their  movements.  The 
batteries  on  our  side  were  promptly 
put  into  position.  The  matches  were 
lighted.  All  was  ready  to  return 
the  live  of  the  British.  There 
was  a  crisis. 


81, 


Tlie  (lay  before  this,  wheu  it  was  sup- 
posed the  Navy  Island  people  were 
coming  up  the  same  channel  in  other 
craft,  and  before  it  was  known  that  the 
Barcelona  had  accepted  his  offered 
engagement,  Scott  wrote  on  his  knee, 
and  dispatched  by  an  aide-de-camp  the 
following  note: 

Headquartees  Eastern  Division"] 
U.  S.   Army,  ! 

(two  miles  below  Black  Rock)  [ 
January  15th,  1838.     J 
To  the  Commander  of  the  Armed  Brit- 
ish Vessels  in  the  Niagara: 
Sir— 

With  his  Excellency  the  Gov- 
ernor of  i>ie\if  York,  who  has  troops  at 
hand,  we  are  here  to  enforce  neutrality 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  protect  our 
soil  and  waters  from  violation.  The 
proper  civil  authorities  are  also  present 
to  arrest,  if  practicable,  the  leaders  of 
the  expedition  on  foot  against  Upper 
Canada. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  gives  me 
pain  to  perceive  the  armed  vessels  men- 
tioned anchored  in  our  waters,  with 
probable  intention  to  fire  upon  tliat 
expedition  moving  in  the  same 
waters. 

Unless  the  expedition  should  first 
attack — in  which  case  we  shall  interfere 
— we  shall  be  obliged  to  consider  a  dis- 
charge of  shot  or  shell  from  or  into  our 
waters,  from  the  armed  schooners  of 
her  Majesty,  as  an  act  seriously  com- 
promising the  neutrality  of  the  two 
nations.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  no 
such  unpleasant  incident  may  occur. 
I  have  the  honor  to  remain  &c., 

WiNDFiELD  Scott. 


82. 


The  same  intimation  was  repeated 
and  explained  the  next  morning,  Janu- 
ary 16th,  to  a  captain  of  the  British 
army,  who  had  occasion  to  wait  upon 
Scott  on  other  business,  and  who  iin- 
mediately  returned.  It  was  just  then 
that  the  Barcelona  moved  up  the  cur- 
rent of  the  Niagara.  The  cannon  on 
either  side  were  pointed,  the  matches 
lighted  and  thousands  stood  in  suspense. 
On  Scott's  note  and  his  personal  assur- 
ance, alone  depended  the  question  of 
peace  or  war.  Happily  these  assur- 
ances had  their  just  effect.  The  Barce- 
lona passed  along.  The  British  did  not 
fire.  The  matches  were  extiugiiished; 
the  two  nations,  guided  by  wise  coun- 
sel resumed  their  usual  way,  and  war's 
wild  alarms  were  hushed  into  the  whis- 
pers of  peace. 

The  patriots  evacuated  Navy  Island 
on  the  15th  inst.,  and  as  soon  as  they 
lauded,  Van  Rensselaer  and  his  associ- 
ates were  arrested,  as  Scott  said  they 
should  be,  in  his  note  written  a  few 
hours  previous  to  the  arrests.  A  Mr. 
McLeod  was  also  arrested  and  tried  by 
a  United  States  court,  for  the  murder  of 
Durfee,  but  was  acquitted. 

As  small  a  place  as  this  incident  may 
occupy  in  history,  it  was  a  critical 
moment  in  the  affairs  of  nations.  Had 
one  British  gun  been  fired,  and  much 
more  had  the  Barcelona  been  destroyed 
no  authority  nor  influence  would  have 
restrained  our  excited  population  from 
taking  up  arms,  and  an  unpremeditated 
war  would  have  been  the  result.  It 
would  have  been  a  war  from  an 
incident,  and  not  from  a  national  con- 
troversy. 


83. 


In  April,  1838,  at  the  annual  dinner  of 
the  St.  George's  Society  in  Canada  the 
flag  of  the  Caroline  hung  as  a  trophy 
behind  the  president's  chair,  and  the 
officers  present  were  applauding.  Capt. 
Marryast,  the  novelist,  rose  and  pro- 
posed as  a  voluntary  toast,  "Captain 
Drew  anti  his  brave  companions  who 
cut  out  the  Caroline."  It  was  received 
with  great  applause.  On  May  20,  1838, 
the  steamboat  Sir  Robert  Peel  was 
burnt  at  French  creek  as  some  retalia- 
tion of  the  Caroline  massacre.  No  lives 
were  taken  or  even  threatened.  This 
was  just  seven  days  after  Mr.  Steven- 
son, American  minister  in  London, 
had  demanded  satisfaction  for  the  Caro- 
line. To  show  how  the  act  which 
Americans  looked  upon  as  nothing  but 
a  base  butchery,  was  received  on  the 
other  side,  it  may  be  said  that  Capt. 
Drew  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  captain 
of  the  royal  navy  and  commanded  on 
Lake  Erie.  McNab  was  knighted  and 
received  royal  thanks,  and  Sir  John 
Colborne  was  created  Lord  Seaton. 

The  Lewiston  Telegraph  of  Friday, 
April  19,  1839,  printed  the  following: 
''John  Mosier,  late  a  captain  on  Lake 
Ontario,  and  one  of  the  murderers  of 
Durfee,  has  presented  a  petition  to  the 
Upper  Canadian  Parliament  praying 
that  land  be  granted  the  boarders  of 
the  Caroline  for  a  r enumeration."  Can- 
ada,  perhaps,  is  the  only  country  where 
murderers  are  recompensed. 


84. 

^be    jgermit  of  Hi^S^^"^- 


In  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  of    June, 
1H2:^  a    tall,    well  built  and  handsome 
young   man,  dressed   in   a    long    loose 
^uwn  or  cloak  of  a  chocolate  color,    was 
seen    passing      through    the     principal 
street  of  the  village   of   Niagara    Falls. 
He  had  under  his  arm  a  roil  of  blankets, 
a  flute,  a  port  folio,  and  a  large  book;  in 
his  riglit  hand  ho  carried  a  small   stick. 
He  advanced  towards  the   Eagle   hotel, 
(which  is  now  part  of  the  International) 
attracting  the  gaze  of  visitors  and  others 
by  the   singularity    of   his   appearance. 
With  elastic  step  and  animated   motion, 
he  passed  the  hotel;  he   heeded  not  the 
inquiring  gaze   of   the   idle   multitude, 
but  firm  and  erect  he  bent  his  conrse  to 
a  more  lowly,  but  respectable,  inn.     He 
at  once  entered  into   stipulations   with 
the  landlord  that  the  room  which  he  oc- 
cupied should  be  solely  his  own,  that  he 
should  have  his  table   to   himself,    and 
that  only  certain   portions    of    his    fare 
Klionld   be  provided  by    the    landlady. 
He  made  the  usual  enquiries   about   the 
falls,  and,  among  other  things, wished  to 
kn(nv  if  there  was    a   reading   room    or 
library  in  the  village.     Being  informed 
that  there  was  a  library,  he  immediately 
repaired  to  the  individual  who   kept  it; 
deposited  three  dollars  and  took  a  book; 
purchased   a   violin;      borrowed    music 
l)Ooks;  informed  the   librarian    that   his 
name  was  Francis  Abbott;  that  he  should 
remain  a  few  days  at  the  Falls,  and  con- 
versed  on    many    snbjecis    with  great 
ease  and  ability. 

The  next  day  he  returned  to  the  same 
person  and;  expatiated  largely  upon  the 


sarromuliug  scenery,  the  cascades  and 
cataiiicts.  and  all  oi  that  sublime  spec- 
tacle, the  falls.  In  all  his  travels,  he 
said,  he  had  never  met  with  anything  to 
compare  with  this  combination  of  all 
that  was  great  and  beautiful.  There 
was  nothing  so  grand  as  Niagara  Falls, 
except  Mount  ^tua,  during  an 
eruption. 

He  inquired  how  long  travellers  usual- 
ly remained,  and  being  informed  that 
nniny  stayed  only  one  day,  he  observed 
that  he  would  stay  at  lea^t  a  week, 
and  further  remarked;  "Can  it  be 
that  there  are  those  who  come  to  this 
place  and  leave  it  in  one  day  !  I  am  as- 
tonished that  persons  can  be  found  so  lit- 
tle interested  in  these  astonishing  works 
of  nature,  as  to  spend  so  short  a  time  in 
passing  around  and  beholding  them. 
As  well  might  a  traveller,  in  one  or  two 
days,  attempt  to  examine  in  detail  the 
various  museums  and  curiosities  in  Par- 
is, as  to  think  of  becoming  acquaint- 
ed with  the  magificent  scenery  of  Niag- 
ara in  such  a  short  space  of  time." 

In  a  few  days  he  called  again,  and 
again  expatiated  upon  the  resplendent 
scenery  of  the  Falls,  and  said  he  had 
C(mcluded  to  remain  a  month,  and  per- 
liai)s  six  months.  A  short  time  after, 
lie  determined  to  fix  his  abode  on  Goat 
Island,  and  was  desirous  of  erecting  a 
rustic  hut,  for  the  purpose  of  abstracting 
liimseif  from  all  society  and  of  becom- 
ing a  solitary  hermit.  The  proprietor 
of  the  island,  having  become  acquainted 
with  his  eccentricities,  was  apprehensive 
that  his  permanent  residence  there 
might  be  alarming  to  strangers  who  did 
not  know  him.  For  this  reason  he 
thought  it  not  projier  to  allow  him  to 


86. 


erect  a  bniding  for  sncli  a  purpose,  but 
permitted  him  to  occupy  u  room  in  the 
ouly  house  on  the  island.  In  this  house 
there  lived  a  family  that  furnished  him 
at  times  with  milk  and  bread.  But  he 
often  dispensed  with  these  necessary 
articles,  providiuf?  himself  in  such 
other  ways  as  suited  himself,  and  pre- 
l)aring  his  food  to  suit  his  own  taste. 
He  observed  once  to  a  friend  "that 
people  in  their  mode  of  living  took  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  and  unnecessary 
pains;  for  my  part  I  have  adopted  a 
method  which  I  find  very  pleasant  and 
agreeable.  I  take  about  a  pint  of  water 
in  which  I  mix  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
wheat  flour,  to  give  it  a  proi)er  consis- 
tency, and  then  drink  it  down.  I  find 
that  it  answers  every  purpose  and  saves 
me  much  labor  and  inconvenience. 

With  his  guitar  by  his  side,  support- 
ed from  his  shoulder  with  a  silken  sash 
like  an  eastern  minstrel,  he  would  per- 
ambulate the  banks  of  the  river  to  the 
Whirlpool  and  once  or  twice  he  extend- 
ed his  walk  to  Lewiston. 

The  inmates  of  the  houses  on  the  way 
would  suddenly  hear  the  sounds  of 
strange  and  unknown  music;  the  musi- 
cian would  be  observed  standing  at  a 
distance  in  the  road,  but  as  soon  as  not- 
iced or  spoken  to  he  would  glide  away 
without  giving  any  reply. 

The  island  was  his  permanent  resi- 
dence for  about  one  year  and  eight 
months.  At  length  the  family  removed 
and  to  those  few  with  whom  he  held 
converse,  he  expressed  his  great  satis- 
faction to  have  it  in  his  power  to  live 
entirely  alone.  For  some  months  he 
seemed  to  enjoy  himself  very  much,  and 
until  another  family  entered  the  house. 


He  then  concluded  to  erect  a  cottage  of 
liis  own  and  as  be  conld  not  bnild  on 
the  island  he  chose  the  hiirh  bank  near 
to  and  in  full  view  of  the  fall,  which  of 
all  other  objects,  it  was  his  deli.aht  to 
behold.  He  occupied  his  new  residence 
for  about  two  mouths. 

On  :rrida.y,  the  10th  of  June.  1831, 
he  went  twice  below  the  bank  of  the  river 
to  bathe  and  was  seen  to  go  a  third 
time.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
the  ferryman  saw  him  in  the  water— he 
partly  floating  and  ])artly  resting  his 
body  on  the  shelving  rocks.  As  the 
boat  approached,  to  screen  himself 
from  the  gaze  of  the  i>asseugers.  he 
would  draw  his  head  under  the  water. 
It  was  not  seriously  thought  of  as  he 
had  often  been  noticed  in  the  same  situ- 
ation, and  acting  in  the  same  manner. 
When  the  ferry-man  returned,  Abbott's 
clothes  were  seen  on  the  rocks,  where 
he  usually  deposited  them.  An  exami- 
nation was  immediately  made  but  his 
body  could  not  be  found.  It  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  carried  away  by  the 
current. 

"The  gTeedy  surge  had  swept  him  down. 
Far,  far  from  mortal  ken," 

On  the  21st  of  June  the  body  was 
taken  up  at  Fort  Niagara,  was  clearly 
identitied,  and  was  on  the  next  day 
removed  and  decently  interred  in  the 
burial  ground  at  Niagara  Falls  from 
which  place  it  has  since  been  removed 
to  Oakwood  Cemetery  and  a  fine  tomb- 
stone erected  to  his  memory.  He  and 
Captain  Webb  now  sleep  side  by 
side. 

Thus  terminated  the  career  of  Francis 
Abbott.  Little,  indeed,  known  to  those 
near  whom  he  spent  the   last  two  years 


of  his  life.  A  few  gleanings  can  only  be 
given.  He  was  an  English  gentleman 
of  a  respectable  family.  He  was  en- 
dowed with  a  good  mind,  highly  culti- 
vated and  was  pleasing  in  his  manners. 
He  was  not  only  master  of  several 
languages,  but  deoi)ly  read  in  the  arts 
and  sciences  and  possessed  of  all  the 
minor  accomplishments  of  the  finished 
gentleman,  fascinating  colloquial  pow- 
ers, and  music  and  drawing  in  great 
perfection. 

Many  years  of  his  life  had  been  spent 
in  travelling.  He  had  visited  Egypt 
and  Palestine;  had  travelled  through 
Turkey  and  Greece,  Italy,  Spain,  Por- 
tugal and  France,  and  had  resided  for 
considerable  periods  of  time  m  Naples, 
Rome  and  Paris.  While  at  Niagara 
Falls  business  brought  him  in  contact 
with  several  inhabitants.  W  ith  a  few  of 
them  he  would  sometimes  be» sociable; 
to  all  others  he  was  distant  and  reserv- 
ed. His  conversations  were  always 
interesting  and  his  descriptions  of 
countries  and  people  glowing  and  ani- 
mated. But  a,t  times,  even  with  his 
favored  acquaintances,  he  would  hold  no 
conversation;  but  communicated  to 
them  his  wishes  on  a  slate  and  would  re- 
quest that  nothing  should  be  said  to  him. 
He  would  frequently  go  unshaved  for 
two  or  three  months,  often  with  no 
covering  on  his  head  and  his  body  envel- 
oped in  a  blanket;  shunning  all  and 
seeking  the  deepest  solitude  of  the 
island.  He  composed  much  and  gener- 
ally in  Latin;  but  he  destroyed  his 
composition  almost  as  fast  as  he  pro- 
duced them.  When  his  little  cot  was 
examined  hopes  were  entertained  that 
some  manuscript  or    memorial,  of    his 


89. 


own  Cvomposition,  might  be  found,  but 
he  left  iiolhiug  of  the  kiud.  His  faithful 
dog  guarded  his  door,  aud  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  he  was  persuaded  aside 
while  it  w  IS  opened.  His  cat  occupied 
his  bed  and  his  guitar,  violin,  flutes  and 
music  were  scattered  about  in  confusion. 
There  was  a  portfolio  and  the  leaves  of 
a  large  book,  but  not  a  word,  not  even 
his  name  was  written  in  any  of  them. 

Many  spots  of  Goat  Island  are  conse- 
crated to  the  memory  of  Francis  A^bbott. 
On  tlie  upper  end  of  the  island  he  had 
established  his  walk  and  it  had  be- 
come trodden  and  well  beaten  like  that 
on  which  a  sentinel  performs  his  tour 
of  duty.  Between  Goat  and  Moss 
Islands  there  was  embowered,  in  seclu- 
sion aud  shade, one  of  the  most  charming 
waterfalls  or  cascades  imaginable.  This 
was  his  fayorite  retreat  for  bathing. 
There  he  resorted  at  all  times  of  the 
year.  In  the  coldest  of  weather,  even 
when  snow  was  on  the  ground,  aud  ice 
in  the  water;  he  continued  to  bathe  in 
the  Niagara. 

On  the  lower  extremity  of  the  island 
there  is  a  bridge  leading  over  what  are 
called  the  Terrapin  Rocks  and  from  this 
bridge  there  extended  a  single  piece 
of  timber,  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet  over  the  precipice.  On  this 
it  was  his  daily  practice  to  walk;  with  a 
quick  step  he  would  pass  the  bridge, 
advance  on  the  timber  to  the  extreme 
end,  turn  quickly  on  his  heel  and  walk 
back,  and  ccmtinue  thus  to  walk  for 
hours.  Sometimes  he  would  let  himself 
down  at  the  end  of  the  timber  and  hang 
under  it  by  his  hands  and  feet  for  15  or 
20  minutes  at  a  time  aud  this  over  a 
chasm  so  terrific  as  to  make  dizzy  the 


90. 


stroiig-est  bead.  On  being  remonstrat- 
ed with  for  thus  exposing  hiniself,  be 
would  reply  tbat  in  crossing  the  ocean 
be  bad  frequently  seen  tbe  sea-boy  iu 
niucli  greater  peril,  and  as  be 
sbould  probably  cross  tbe  ocean  again 
be  wished  to  inure  himself  to  such  dan- 
gers; if  tbe  nerves  of  others  were  dis- 
turbed, bis  were  not.  In  the  darkest 
bours  of  tbe  night  be  would  be  found 
walking  alone  iu  tbe  wildest  and  most 
dangerous  spots  near  the  Falls.  At  such 
times  be  would  shun  tbe  approach  of 
men  as  if  they  were  unwelcome  intrud- 
ers on  bis  solitude. 

He  bad  a  stipend,  allowed  to  him  by 
bis  friends  in  England,  competent  for 
bis  support.  He  attended  to  the  state 
of  his  accounts  very  carefully;  Avas 
economical  in  the  expenditure  of  money 
for  bis  own  use;  but  generous  in  paying 
for  all  favors  and  services,  and  never 
receiving  anything  without  making 
immediate  payment  therefore.  He  bad 
a  deep  and  abiding  sense  of  religious 
duties  and  decorum;  mild  in  bis  behav- 
ior and  inoffensive  in  bis  conduct. 
Religion  was  a  subject  be  appreciated, 
and  seemed  well  to  understand.  Tbe 
charity  be  asked  from  others  be  extend- 
ed to  all  mankind. 

What  could  have  broken  up 
and  destroyed  such  a  mind  as  bis  ? 
What  would  drive  him  from 
society,  which  be  was  so  well  fitted 
to  adorn— and  what  sbould  transform 
bim,  noble  in  person  and  intellect  into 
an  isolated  anchorite,  shunning  the  as- 
sociations of  bis  fellow-men.  The 
mystery  be  never  unfolded,  and  liis 
friends  have  remained  silent  on  tbe  sub- 


91. 


ject.     He  was  about  28  years  of  acre  at 
the  time  of  his  death. 

With  the  scenery  of  the  Falls  he  was 
perfectly  infatuated  and  expressed  him- 
self in  the  most  rapturous  terms,  when 
he  spoke  of  the  beautiful  retreats  of 
Goat  Island.  He  was  asked  why  he 
did  not  take  up  his  residence  in  Canada, 
under  his  own  government,  among  his 
own  people,  and,  as  he  preferred  being 
near  the  falls,  he  could  there  select  a 
place  to  suit  him,  as  the  views  on  that 
side  were  considered  by  many  as  being 
tlie  best.  He  replied  that  he  preferred 
this  side,  because,  in  all  that  was  inter- 
esting and  beautiful,  the  American 
scenes  around  the  falls  were  decidedly 
superior. 


']^y>ev\f  on  the  Cc>^. 


On  the  evening  of  July  18, 1853,  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Hanniman  and  one  by 
the  name  of  Avery,  in  the  employ  of 
David  Brown,  who  was  engaged  in 
boating  sand,  left  the  French  lauding, 
(now  called  Port  Day,)  for  Schlosser 
where  the  boat,  upon  which  they  were 
employed,  was  lying.  But  for  some 
reason  they  failed  to  reach  their  point, 
and  were  carried  out  into  the  strong 
current  and  down  into  the  rapids. 
Hanniman  was  immediately  carried 
over  the  Falls,  but  Avery  lodged  on  a 
log,  nearly  midway  between  Goat  Is- 
land bridge  and  the  fearful  precipice, 
it  being  the  only  place  in  that  portion  of 


92. 


the  rapids  upon  wliicli  a  liumaii  beiuo^ 
could  liiid  footii)fr.  The  fearful  truth  oi 
a  man  beiuic  iii  the  rapids  just  above 
the  verge  of  the  Falls  was  first  discov- 
ered >it  about  four  o'clock  ou  the  luoru- 
ini>- of  July  I'Jth  by  one  of  the  watch- 
men of  the  Cataract  House.  The  fear- 
ful intelligence  spread  like  a  fire  alarm 
throughout  the  village.  Hopes  were 
the  first  thiiig  thought  of — no  rope  on 
hand.  Messrs.  Gage  &  Haws,  con- 
tractors on  the  hydraulic  canal, stripped 
the  rigging  from  their  blocks  and  gin 
pt)les.  Citizens  owning  or  having  in 
their  possession  a  pound  of  rope 
brought  it  forward. 

Boats  owned  hy  rich  and  poor  were 
soon  being  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  multitude  to  the  spot,  as  an  offering 
of  humanity,  without  a  thought  of  reiu- 
bursemeiit.  Thus  four  boats  and  all 
the  rope  in  tlie  village  were  made  a  free- 
will offering  by  the  owners  to  attempt 
the  deliverance  of  an  unknown  stran- 
ger, but  a  human  being,  from  a  situa- 
tion as  perilous  as  the  human  mind  can 
conceive.  A  telegraph  dispatch  to  Buf- 
falo promptly  brought  a  boat  to  the 
spot,  the  owner  not  giving  the  probabil- 
ities of  remuneration  a  thought. 

Thousands  of  persons  crowded  around 
the  scene,  each  having  a  plan  to  which 
no  one  heeds  but  himself.  Nothing, 
absolutely  nothing,  could  be  done  in 
this  chaotic  state.  A  meeting  is  pro- 
posed on  Goat  Island  bridge  by  two  of 
the  proprietors,  to  give  direction  to  the 
efforts  about  to  be  made.  A  vote  is 
taken,  and  a  man  is  appointed  by  ac- 
clamation, who  selects  his  assistants. 


93. 


A  generous  hearted  captain  from    the 
upper  lakes,  baviug  beard  of    the  acci- 
dent at  Buffalo   hastened    down   to   the 
scene  of  action.     He  was  invited  to  par- 
ticipate in  giving  direction  to  the  efforts 
about  to  be  made— he   was   prompt  and 
efficieut.     Tbe  boat    experiment   fails — 
another      plan    is    proposed    which    is 
thought  feasable— this  failed  also  except 
to  give  a  knowledge  of  the  currents  and 
the   action  of  water  through  the   differ- 
ent channels— another  i)lan  is  proposed 
— ropes  were  with   the   life  boat — three 
hundred  men  man  the  line  attached  to 
the  life  boat  sunken  in   the   rapids— the 
line  parts  near  the  sunken  boat  and  was 
fortunately  brought  to  shore — the  raft  is 
completed  and  let  down  into  the  boiling 
element  from  the  center  of   the  bridge 
— (^a  noble  hearted  sea  captain,    a  stran- 
ger, with  a  soul  stamped   with   generos- 
ity, took   one  of   the   managers   by  the 
shoulders,  and  in  a  whisper,  begged  for 
God's  sake  to  let  him   go   down   on   the 
raft  and  heli)  the  man    keep    the    ropes 
clear,  and  cm  being  refused  he   replied: 
"I  know  I  could  help   him."     Generous 
hearted  man !    would    that    the   world 
knew  thy   name— the  orignal   design   of 
the  raft  is    thwarted  by   one  rope  being 
too  short  to  reach  the  spot,  it  slips   the 
grasp    of    those    holding    it— the    raft 
swings  on  a  line    with    the    remaining 
rope  and  bounds  down  and   below   the 
fatal  cliff  that  seemed  to  stand   between 
life  and  death— no  more  rope  at  hand — 
nothing  daunted  the  capstan  moves  on, 
the  ratt  swings  to   the   embrace   of   the 
unfortunate— he    reaches  the   raft  and 
entwines  himself    among  its  ropes.  He 
gazes  at  the  pail  of  provisions  lashed  to 
the  raft— he  cannot  eat,  he  sees  nothing 


94. 


but  death  before  him.  The  raft  moves 
slowly  sidewise,  under  the  reef  to  an 
alnaost  inaccessible  island.  The  rope 
becomes  entangled  among  the  rocks. 
What  now  shall  be  done  ?  Lower  away 
the  raft,  now  haul  her  up,  now  lower 
her  down,  the  capstan  moves  the  pon- 
derous weight  up  and  down  at  bidding, 
a  little  lower  the  raft  descends  into  the 
swift  current,  the  surges  dash  over  the 
head  of  the  unfortunate  passenger.  The 
capstan  turns  rapidly  around,  the  raft 
is  again  moved  under  the  ledge  in 
smoother  water,  although  the  surges 
had  almost  claimed  their  victim— the 
unfortunate  looses  his  lashing,  stands 
erect  and  rests  his  limbs  which  had 
been  stripped  of  their  covering  by  the 
boiling  current.  When  suflficiently 
recovered  he  again  takes  his  seat  and 
makes  himself  fast,  again  the  capstan 
heaves, alas,  the  rope  is  again  fast  in  the 
rocks  and  cannot  be  moved  except  up 
and  down  the  stream,  again  the  cay)stan 
turns,  the  raft  is  brought  close  to  the 
perpendicular  cliff  with  sufficient  force 
to  lift  the  the  stern  free  from  the  water. 
The  rapids  dash  over  the  bow  of  the 
raft  and  fall  harmless  in  front  of  the 
sorrow-stricken.  What  shall  now  be 
done  ?  The  rof^e  is  still  fast,  the  sun  is 
fading  in  the  western  horizon  and  the 
sable  mantle  of  night  will  soon  veil  the 
scene.  Shall  this  man  be  left  to  spend 
another  gloomy  night  in  the  arms  of 
death?  Another  attempt  must  be  made, 
again  the  lightning  Hashes  to  Buffalo— a 
boat  wanted.  A  boat  is  furnished  and 
the  railroad  agent  promptly  placed  the 
same  upon  the  cars.  The  engineer 
taxes  the  speed  of  his  engine  to  its  ut- 
most capacity,    as    human    life    might 


9r). 


dei)end  upon  the  arrival  of  the  cars,  iu 
the  shortest  possible  time— the  cars 
arrive— ere  the  speed  of  the  cars  is 
arrested,  the  crowd  bear  the  boat  upou 
their  shouklers  to  the  scene  of  peril  — 
all  with  oue  thought,  the  res- 
cue. So  there  is  yet  hope  that  the 
rescue  may  be  accomplished  before 
nii^htfall.  Again  another  call  is  made 
for  rope;  another  tackle  block  is  found 
and  strii)ped;  the  boat  lowered  into  the 
stream,  carefully  the  rope  slides  out 
from  the  capstan,  until  she  reaches  the 
fearful  cliff,  a  surge  strikes  the  boat, 
she  almost  poises  over  the  cascade;  the 
rope  stretches  but  little  and  that  little 
loses  her  over  the  clitf,  and  forces  a 
plank  from  her  side,  the  affrighted  man 
has  unloosed  his  lashings  and  is  stand- 
ing up— the  boat  strikes  the  raft— the 
concussion  throws  him  off  and  he  is  seen 
tottering  from  time  into  eternity.  A 
wail  is  heard  from  the  lips  of  the  thous- 
ands of  anxious  spectators;  some  run  to 
the  brink  of  the  precii)ice  ti^  witness  the 
last  struggle.  Ladies  swoon  and  drop 
like  soldiers  on  a  brittle  field;  the  multi- 
tude heave  a  sigh  and  turn  their  faces 
homeward,  few  having  tasted  food  since 
the  dawn  of  day. 

The  following  article   was  written   to 
the  Albany  Register: 

Ni.^G.iRA.  FALiiS,  July,  19,  1853. 
It  is  verging  toward  midnii>ht 
on  the  IStli  of  July,  1853,  and  the  stars 
shine  calmly  down  through  a  delicious 
atmosphere,  upou  tUe  village  of  Niagara 
Falls.  Music  gives  life  to  the  joyous 
dance  at  the  Cataract  and  the  Interna- 
tional Hotels,  and  pleasure  seekers  here, 
congregated  from  all  parts  of  the  conti- 


96. 


nent,  have  found  enjoyment.  Many 
fair  women  and  brave  men  still 
liuorer  on  Goat  Island,  unwillino:  to 
sever  from  scenes  and  sounds  so  full  of 
harmony — so  conoenial  to  the  pure  ac- 
tivity of  soul,  which  marks  alike  the 
worshiper  of  God  and  the  beins:  who 
sins  lightly,  if  at  all,  by  indulging  in 
dreams  of  earthly  love  and  honor.  One 
plighted  couple  are  returning,  and  have 
halted  for  a  moment  on  the  bridge,  the 
hand  of  each  clasped  in  each  other's,  as 
they  look  upward  on  the  rapids.  A  thin 
cloud  is  drawn  for  a  few  moments  over 
the  resplendent  stars,  like  the  dropping 
of  a  bridal  veil,  and  the  shadow  rests 
on  the  arrowy  foam  of  the  furious 
river.  And  they  whisper  of  approach- 
ing union,  and  the  years  of  happiness 
which  they  doubt  not  the  good  God  has 
in  store  for  them  that  love  Him  so. 
But  what  was  that  dark  object  which  so 
suddenly  sprung  into  view  on  the  very 
verge  of  the  horizon  above  them,  as 
though  swung  heavenward  by  a  huge 
wave  ?  He  says  it  was  but  a  taller, 
shadowed  pitch  of  the  wild  waters  or  a 
floating  log.  What  shook  the  bridge 
then,  and  did  you  not  hear  a  shreik, 
faint  and  smothered,  as  though  it  came 
from  a  cavern  deep  in  the  earth  ?  Oh 
no!  It  was  but  the  strong  blow  of  a 
eddving  whirl  of  the  fierce  river  which 
made  the  bridge  tremble  a  very  little 
more  than  it  usually  trembles;  and  if 
you  heard  a  cry,  it  was  but  the  near 
shreik  of  some  high-wheeling  night 
bird.  There  can  be  no  misery  near  us 
in  a  place,  and  at  a  time  like  this,  where 
all  is  so  calm  but  the  great  river  exult- 
ing in  its  strength,  and  where  we  can 
almost  see  God's  good  angels,   half  un- 


97. 


sphered ,  watcbiucj  the  world.  The 
^auzy  cloud  floats  westward,  and  the 
stars  shiue  out  iu  glory,  and  the  loyers 
walk  blissfully  on  and  cross  the  bridge 
and  Heaven  blesses  them  iu  dreams  that 
night,  while  the  music  of  the  joyous 
dancers  below  sounds  in  their  visions 
a  harmony  of  heaven. 

lint  it  was  no  dead  tree  trunk,  nor 
single  lifted,  cloud  shadowed  wave,  that 
caught  for  a  single  second  that  gentle 
maiden's  eye.  It  was  a  boat  and  in  it 
were  two  men— around  each  were  twined 
loves  as  deep,  if  not  so  exalted  and 
pure,  as  those  which  hallow  end  beauti- 
fy her  and  her's.  It  was  not  a  strong 
swirl  of  the  wild  waters  that  made  the 
firm  bridge  tremble  a  little  more  than  it 
always  trembles  in  the  strong  current. 
It  was  the  crashing,  like  an  eggshell,  of 
the  strong-built  boat  when  it  dashed 
against  the  pier  and  whirled  under  the 
bridge  in  fragments.  It  was  not  the 
scream  of  a  night-bird,  whirling  in  the 
dusky  air  above  her,  which  startled  the 
soft-hearted  maiden  ;  but  was  the  con- 
joined agonies  of  two  strong-lunged, 
despairing  men,  which  burst  forth  into 
a  yell,  which  was  all  but  drowned  in  the 
deep  roar  of  the  majestic  river,  and 
came  as  but  in  a  whisper  to  the  ear 
of  the  tender  maiden,  who  was  intently 
listening,  scarce  two  hundred  feet  away. 
One  of  the  strong  men  is  carried 
downward,  unseen  save  by  God  and  the 
starry  eyes  of  night.  Fifteen  hundred 
or  two  thousand  feet  are  but  as  a  step 
for  the  great  torrent,  though  if  they 
lived  until  they  reached  the  verge  of 
the  fall.  Heaven  only  knows  how  much 
misery  was  endured,  or  how  surely  hope 
eternal  and  well-founded  sprung  up  in 


98. 


his  soul,  while  the  wrathful  river  took 
that  step  ere  she  dashed  him  ou  the 
pile  of  rocks  one  liundred  and  fifty  feet 
below  and  broke  forever  the  lii^atures  of 
hope  aud  love  that  bound  hiin  to  the 
world. 

But  for  the  second  !  Far  better 
would  it  have  been,  in  human  juds^meut, 
had  he  too  been  swept  away  at  once 
into  eternity.  But  not  so,  foi-  there  are 
many  lessons  to  be  drawn  from  the 
troubled  remnant  of  his  life— at  least  liy 
those  who  witnessed  it. 

About  500  feet  below  the  bridge,  and 
about  one-third  of  the  way  across  from 
the  main  shore,  a  log  is  embedded  in 
the  rapids.  It  lies  in  the  direction  of 
the  torrent,  and  at  the  lower  end,  for  a 
length  of  about  fifteen  feet  rises  above 
water,  then  seems  to  sink  a  little,  like 
the  hollow  of  a  saddle,  and  is  below  wat- 
er for  a  foot  or  two  aud  then  rises  at  an 
angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees  for 
four  or  five  feet  aud  so  ends  abruptly. 
At  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
the  survivor,  a  lusty  man  of  twenty 
summers  or  thereabouts,  was  discover- 
ed clinging  to  the  upper  part  of  the  log. 
and  at  once  the  village  was  astir.  It  was  a 
strange  chance  that  threw  him  on  this 
mere  point— the  only  one  between  the 
bridge  and  fall  where  the  foot  of  man 
could  rest.  It  would  seem  that  Provi- 
dence, by  so  miraculous  an  interposi- 
tion for  his  present  safety,  save  assur- 
ance for  his  final  rescue.  But  God 
knows  best,  and  the  world  would  be  a 
chaos  were  not  the  issue  of  our  efforts 
by  Him  directed.  We  have  only  our 
duties  before  us  and  He  will  take  care 
of  results. 


What  fasciuatioii  there  is  in  the  peril 
of  another,  thouo-hhe  be  a  strau^an-,  uud 
whatever  may  be  his  rank  iu  life,  his 
attainments  or  his  qualities. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  the  peril  which 
so  fascinates  us,  and  nerves  us  np  to 
deeds  of  heroism,  and  sacrifices  of 
money,  and  propertjs  and  comfort, 
must,  in  the  general,  be  an  ai)pareut 
peril  of  life  or  limb.  Those  slow  and 
deadly  dangers  which  besets  our 
neighbors  iUid  ourselves,  those  parents 
of  crime,  which  aims  at  the  destruction 
of  physical  vigor  and  moral  purity, 
which  contaminate  life  iu  the  fountain 
wither  it  in  maturity,  which  create  the 
drunkard,  the  libertine,  the  robber,  and 
the  murderer,  alas!  they  fright  but  few 
of  us,  but  we  put  not  on  our  armor  to 
battle  against  them  unto  the  death. 

I  could  hardly  take  my  e^'es  from 
that  poor  man  from  the  first  time  I  saw 
him  until  uis  fate  was  decided.  There 
were  hundreds  there,  who  would  cheer- 
fully imperiled  their  own  lives,  could 
reason  have  been  cajoled  into  holding 
out  the  slightest  hope  of  the  risks  con- 
tributing to  the  salvation  of  the  strang- 
er. Property  was  sacrificed  without 
hesitation,  for  him,  and  one  kind  gentle- 
man, a  stranger,  from— the  Lord  knows 
where,  but  may  he  be  remembered  in 
Heaven— offered  a  thousand  dollars  to 
save  the  stranger. 

When  I  first  saw  him  in  the  morning 
he  was  clinging  to  the  log  and  occasion- 
ally raising  his  head  above  the  top  and 
looking  from  side  to  side.  He  must 
have  realized  fully  the  almost  hojieless 
danger  of  his  situation,  and  was  sick  at 
heart,  as  well  as  chilled  by  the  night 
air,  and  the  spray  sapping  his  strength 


100. 


for  so  many  slow  ebbinc;  hours.  His 
head  was  bare,  but  otherwise  he  was 
fully  clothed.  It  was  impossible  for  the 
humau  voice  to  reach  him.  No  voice  of 
eucouragemeut  to  reach  him,  but  the 
sympathizing  spirit  of  the  people  was 
not  discouraged,  and  sought  to  uphold 
liim  by  signs.  He  was  a  German  and 
some  kind  person  caused  to  be  painted 
in  big  letters,  in  German,  on  canvas,  the 
words,  "We  will  save  you,"  and  nailed 
it,  like  abanner,  on  the  front  of  a  build- 
ing on  the  bank.  He  saw  and  under- 
stood it,  and  waved  his  hands,  in  grati- 
tude, we  trust,  in  gratitude.  The  peo- 
ple, full  of  83'mpathy,  thronged  the 
shore,  both  island  and  bridge.  Alas ! 
they  could  do  nothing,  unless  it  were 
bj'^  their  mere  presence,  to  encourage 
hope  and  strengthen  his  sometimes  fail- 
ing courage. 

It  is  painful  to  record  the  efforts  that 
were  made  for  his  relief  and  extrication 
and  yet  a  summary  of  them  may  not  be 
devoid  of  interest.  In  doing  so  it  is 
necessary  to  recall  his  position  in  the 
torrent.  All  above  was  a  wild  waste 
of  water,  rushing  downward  over 
curved  ledges  of  rock  crossing  awthart 
the  stream,  and  so  was  all  below,  save 
that  the  log  to  which  he  clung  was  im- 
bedded in  a  basin  of  foaming  water 
between  two  ledges*  and  the  water  there 
seemed  less  unquiet.  From  the  ledges 
above  the  fall  was  more  than  a  foot. 
On  his  left  the  great  mass  of  the  river 
came  down  in  a  tumult  of  green  waves 
and  eddies,  on  his  right  lay  first  the 
foaming  basin,  the  strong  current  of  a 
minor  channel  of  the  river,  and  then 
brcfken  water  and  an  eddy,  at  the  foot 
of  which  was  a  small    mass    of  rocks 


101. 

above  water  aud  blackened  logs, 
from  which  access  to  a  small 
wooded  island  below  seemed  easy. 
Ou  that         island         he         would 

be  safe,  for  it  could  be  reached.  thon<rli 
with  much  difficulty,  from  Goat  or  Bath 
Island,  in  a  boat.  To  cross  the  furious 
channel  on  his  left  to  the  main  shore 
was  impossible. 

There  he  lay  from  the  time  he  was 
discovered,  until,  I  should  think,  about 
half-past  four  in  the  afternoon,  the  sun 
beating  on  his  uncovered  head,  and 
without  food.  Attempts  were  made  to 
lower  food  to  him  from  the  bridge,  the 
food  being  enclosed  at  one  time  in  a 
basket,  and  at  least  twice  in  air-tight  tin 
cans,  but  all  these  attempts  were  unsuc- 
cessful. How  he  endured  all  he  did 
seems  strange  to  me.  God  had  certain- 
ly given  him  a  strong  frame  and  a  stout 
heart  and  he  would  have  made  a  gallant 
sailor. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  first  attempt  at 
rescue  was  made.  No  one  had  any 
confidence  in  it,  but  people  were  impa- 
tient to  do  something,  though  a  message 
had  been  dispatched  to  Bufl^ilo  for  a 
life-boat,  which  was  expected  on  the 
next  train.  A  strong  light  skiff  was 
launched  from  Bath  Island,  drawn 
out  into  the  stream,  and  let  down  by 
two  ropes  in  the  lesser  channel.  She 
filled  and  upset,  however,  and  was 
lost. 

But  here  comes  the  life-boat  from 
Buffalo,  and  the  crowd  sent  up  a  cheer 
which  rises  to  Heaven,  and  even  crosses 
to  the  poor  man  on  the  log,  and  he 
erects  himself  in  expectation.  It  is 
borne  across  the  bridge,  and  the 
gentleman  having  it  in  charge  examines 


102. 


from  different  points  on  the  bank  and 
the  bridge,  the  obstacles  to  be  over- 
come. It  is  almost  evident  that  they 
are  insuperable,  but  there  is  a  bare  pua- 
sibility  of  success,  audthat  is  suiiicient. 
The  boat  is  launched,  and  the  bridge  is 
cleared  of  all  but  the  workers, and  she  is 
gradually  lowered.  What  a  beautiful 
boat  she  is,  and  how  triumphantly  she 
rides  the  wild  swells!  Nov/ she  passes 
down  the  main  shute,  and  they  begin  to 
work  her  toward  the  log,  while  the  man 
hangs  with  his  hands  on  tlie  top  of  it, 
his  eyes  devouring  the  space  be- 
tween himself,  and  what  he  trusts,  is  his 
preserver.  And,  indeed,  there  would 
seem  scarce  room  to  doubt 'that  he  was 
on  the  point  of  being  rescued,  l^ut 
now  the  boat  from  the  entangling  of  the 
rope  in  the  rocks  below,  or  from  some 
other  cause,  upsets,  and  then  she  rises 
like  a  duck— and  now  she  is  just 
a  little  above  the  log,  and  in  a  second 
more  the  man  will  be  safe.  My  God  I 
she  swings  a  little  beyond,  in  a  swift 
eddy,  and  does  not  right  again.  I  shut 
my  eyes,  and  when  I  open  them  again, 
she  is  far  off  in  the  broad  channel  by 
the  main  shore,  held  by  a  single  rope 
and  almost  sunk  by  the  weight  and  force 
of  the  current.  The  man,  the  poor 
man,  who  but  just  now  was  waving  his 
hands  this  way  and  that  way  to  guide 
the  people  in  the  management  of  the 
ropes,  and  who,  I  could  swear,  from  the 
motion  of  his  head,  shouted  with  joy  as 
the  boat  neared  him,  was  now  clasping 
the  upright  portion  of  the  log. 
His  head  droops,  and  despair,  I  fear, 
is  in  his  heart,  and  so  he  lies,  inanimate 
on  the  thing  he  rests  on,  for  full}''  an 
hour. 


103. 


But  the  good  people  are  not  disconr- 
aged;  they  now  commence  building  a 
raft.  It  is  made  of  two  long  square 
timbers,  with  a  platform  firmly  spiked 
on  at  one  end,  and  occasional  cross- 
pieces  to  the  other  end,  on  which  is  lash- 
ed a  barrel.  While  this  is  being  done  a 
crowd  of  men  bring  upon  poles  on 
their  sliouldera  a  large  broad-beamed 
skift".  It  is  concluded  to  try  this  before 
the  raft, and  it  is  launched  from  Bath  Is- 
land, let  down  the  channel  and  worked 
across  stream  to  the  log.  Thank  God, 
the  man  is  safe  now !  This  boat  lias 
worked  admirably,  and  he  is  safe ! 
Alas  !  the  rope  has,  somehow  or  other, 
got  entangled  with  the  log,  and  though 
her  prow  lies  on  the  left  and  at  the  very 
stem  of  the  log,  she  cannot  be  moved  a 
foot.  The  man  has  been  all  attention, 
for  some  time.  He  crawls  along  the 
log  and  tries  to  move  the  boat.  He  can- 
not stir  it.  He  crawls  in  and  bales  out 
some  of  the  water  with  his  hands,  and 
then  pushes  the  log.  He  gets  upon  the 
log  and  pushes  the  boat.  Again  he 
gets  into  the  boat  and  bales  with  his 
hands.  He  then  takes  olf  both  boots 
and  bales  with  one  of  them.  He  puts 
on  his  boots  and  taking  off  his  coat, 
folds  it  and  lays  it  in  the  bow  of  the  boat. 
He  gets  upon  the  log,  and  walks  to  the 
further  end.  lies  down  upon  it,  and 
thrusts  his  arm  into  the  water.  He  gets 
the  rope,  and  pulls  with  all  his  might, 
and  then  goes  to  the  boat  and  pushes  it. 
And  so  he  works,— how  long  it  seemed 
to  me !— sometimes  in  one  place  and 
sometimes  in  the  other,  and  continually 
in  vain.  How  I  longed  for  a  voice  to 
tell  him  to  keep  still,  ai)d  to  husband 
his  strength,  the  whole  of  which  might 


104. 

yet  be  requisite  to  save  him.  But  now 
he  despairs  aj^aiu.  God  does  seem  to 
have  declared  against  him  !  But  now, 
after  a  long  interval,  they  are  shooting 
the  raft  over  the  rail  of  the  bridge. 
They  have  launched  it  and  down  it 
floats.  Now  it  is  in  the  swift  current, 
and  the  barrel  disappears  in  the  over- 
charging foam.  But  it  holds  together 
nobly,  and  passes  the  shell,  and  is 
drawn  safely  to  the  log.  The  man,  so 
long  confined  there,  I  am  sure,  gives  "a 
cheer.  He  sits  down  on  the  plat- 
form, and  fixes  his  feet  in  and  takes 
hold  of  stays  and  loops  fixed  to  the 
floor  of  the  raft,  and  they  begin  to 
haul  on  the  ropes.  This  must  have 
been  between  four  and  five  o'clock. 
For  a  full  hour,  as  it  seemed  to  me, 
they  endeavored  to  draw  the  raft  di- 
rectly up  the  stream,  but  to  drag  it  up 
the  first  fall  or  ledge  was  impossible — 
but  still  they  pulled  with  a  will  and  now 
the  raft  fell  back  suddenly  and  swiftly; 
surely  the  ropes  must  have  parted,  and 
a  perceptable  shudder  runs  through  the 
mass  of  men  around  me.  80,  too, 
thinks  the  man.  for  he  stands  upon  his 
feet,  and  with  a  hurried  glance  around 
him,  stands  prepared  to  jump  and  swim 
for  his  life;  but  he  is  instantly  reassured, 
and  calmly  resumes  his  seat,  for  they 
had  merely  slackened  the  ropes  prepar- 
atory to  trying  to  guide  the  raft  to  the 
right  or  island  shore.  They  do  guide  it 
successfully— slowly,  but  steadily,  it 
swims  far  away  from  the  log,  and  the 
man  sits  there  like  a  statue.  "  He 
lies  upon  the  raft  with  his 
head  drooping,  as  though  half 
slumbering,  and  then  raises  it  with  a 
start,  like  one  contending  with  sleep  or 
exhaustion.     And  now  the  raft  is  on  the 


105. 

edge,  in  the  raging  torrent,  the  water 
arches  over  the  barrel  in  front — the 
raft  is  pressed  down— and  he  is  waist 
deep.  The  waves  force  him  backward 
and  rush  up  to  his  mouth,  and  he  will 
be  drowned;  but  now,  with  a  mighty 
effort,  he  bows  forward  with  his  head 
under  water,  draws  out  his  feet  and 
throws  them  backwards  so  that  he  is 
kneeling,  holding  on  with  his  hands, 
and  with  head  erect.  Again  the  raft 
slides  to  the  left,  out  of  the  swiftest 
water;  and  there  she  lies  so  long! 
What  is  the  matter  now?  Alas!  the 
roi)e  has  caught  in  a  ledge  of  rock  above 
and  some  new  contrivance  must  be 
resorted  to  clear  it.  Again  is  hope 
deferred,  yes,  almost  crushed. 

But  it  is  now  nearly  six  o'clock,  and 
the  large  ferry  boat  is  put  in  the  water, 
and,  the  inexperienced  say,  it  must  be 
easy  to  lay  her  alongside  the  raft.  We 
can  see  hope  rekindle  in  the  bosom  of 
the  sufferer.  Carefully  the  boat  is  let 
down  and  is  nearly  there.  The  boat  al- 
most touches  the  raft,  and  the  man 
rises,  ready  to  step  in.  But,  my  God! 
the  force  of  the  current  dashes  her 
against  the  raft,  and  he  is  thrown  into 
the  water  !  Strike  out  for  your  life  I 
Cross  but  one  rod  of  stormy  water  and 
you  are  safe  I  Alas !  he  swims  but 
faintly,  he  despairs,  and  throws  himself 
backward,  and  a  dark  spot  is  seen  hur- 
rying toward  the  fall.  As  he  reaches 
the  verge,  with  a  spasmodic  effort  he 
raises  breast  high  from  the  water,  and 
the  poor  sufferer,  whom  we  have  watch- 
ed so  long,  will  be  seen  no  more  on 
earth.  He  has  joined  his  companion, 
and  may  Heaven  have  mercy  upon 
them. 


106. 


This  melancholy  affair  may  be  sum- 
med up  in  a  few  words :  If  the  unfortu- 
nate man  had  not  loosened  his  fasten- 
ings to  the  raft  on  the  approach  of  the 
boat,  and  if  his  strength  had  been  suffi- 
cient to  endure  the  fatigue  of  another 
ten  hours  on  the  raft,  (as  nothing  con  hi 
be  done  for  him  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night,)  in  all  probability  he  might  have 
been  brought  to  Cliapin's  Island  the 
following  day,  from  which  his  rescue 
would  have  been  com]iaratively  easy. 

The  body  of  the  unfortunate  Hanui- 
man  was  found  on  the  following  Satur- 
day, July  23rd,  near  Suspension  Bridge, 
and  decently  interred  by  Mr.  Sternes, 
the  town  poor  master.  The  body  of 
Avery  was  never  recovered. 


piercers   [7c>vel  I^rigade. 


At  the  junction  of  the  Portage  Koad 
with  Main  Street  in  this  city,  there  was 
a  public  house  for  many  years,  which, 
during  the  War  of  1812,  was  kept  by  a 
man  named  Gad  Pierce,  who  was  an 
active  frontier  partisan.  When  hostili- 
ties commenced  between  the  two  coun- 
tries, there  was  a  very  small  number 
of  troops  on  the  American  side  of  the 
river,  and  only  a  single  company  to 
garrison  Fort  Niagara.  It  was  expect- 
ed, every  night,  ttiat  the  Fort  would  be 
attacked  by  the  British,  who  had  a  large 
force  of  men  at  Fort  George.  Mr. 
Pierce,  aware  of  this  state  of  affairs,  one 
day  raised  all  the    inhabitants    in    the 


107. 


Burroiindinpr  country,  and  bad  them 
assemble  at  Lewiston.  Horses  of  every 
kind  were brougbt  into  requisition,  and, 
wbeu  tbe  citizens  were  mounted,  tbey 
appeared  at  a  distance  bke  a  formidable 
troop  of  cavalry.  Among  them,  too, 
were  several  of  the  Tuscarora  Indians, 
who  entered  with  spirit  into  the  man- 
ouver.  Instead  of  swords,  they  used 
walking  canes,  sticks  and  ramrods. 
Several  of  the  ramrods  were  of  polished 
steel  or  iron,  which  made  a  very  bright 
and  flashy  appearance.  The  cavalcade 
moved  from  Lewiston,  along  the  river 
road,  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  and  enter- 
ed Fort  Niagara.  The  blankets  of  the 
Indians  fluttering  in  the  wind,  the 
various  habiliments  of  the  farmers,  the 
limping  and  over-strained  plow  horse, 
the  nibbling  gait  and  twitching  head  of 
the  wild  pony,  with  now  and  then  a 
noble  looking  horse,  formed,  to  those 
who  were  near,  a  most  ludicrous  spec- 
tacle. In  the  fort,  they  dismounted, 
and  performed  some  slight  evolutions 
in  a  most  laughable  manner.  At  the 
command  to  mount,  some  of  the  Indians 
executed  the  order  in  such  a  masterly 
way  as  to  throw  themselves  entirely 
over  their  ponies.  To  the  British,  the 
imposing  appearance  of  the  troops  with 
their  steel  ramrods,  which  glittered  in 
the  sun  like  broadswords,  had  the  desir- 
ed effect :  the  contemplated  attack  was 
not  made. 

At  the  time  of  the  general  invasion  of 
the  frontier,  Mr.  Pierce  had  his  family 
removed  to  a  place  of  safety,  but  would 
not  himself  quit  the  premises.  He  and 
four  others  formed  the  little  garrison, 
with  which  he  determined  to  defend 
his     home.      They    waited     for     the 


108. 


approach  of  the  enemy.  At  length  a 
company  of  British  regulars  appeared 
and  a  fire  was  opened  upon  them.  They 
continued  the  defence  for  some  time, 
but,  as  their  opponents  were  numerous, 
it  was  impossible  to  keep  them  at  a  dis- 
tance. A  part  advanced  upon  the  front 
of  the  house,  and  succeeded  in  break- 
ing down  the  door,  tiring  their  guns  as 
they  entered.  The  defenders  effected 
their  escape  in  an  opposite  direction 
without  any  of  their  number  being 
wounded.  Wliether  the  attacking  party 
suffered  any  loss  was  not  known. 


^n  Indian   ^duenture, 


Just  below  the  mountain  and  to  the 
right  of  the  road  which  descends  from 
the  Tuscarora  village,  there  lived  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Sparrow  Sage, 
who  was  driven  away  from  his  home, 
on  the  19th  of  December,  1813,  during 
the  invasion  of  the  Niagara  Frontier  by 
the  British.  But,  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  his  harvest,  he  and  his  wife 
returned  the  following  summer  to  their 
exposed  and  solitary  dwelling.  One 
day,  while  Mr.  Sage  was  at  work  in  a 
field  some  distance  from  the  house,  an 
Indian,  attached  to  the  British  cause, 
entered  the  house  and  demanded  some- 
thing to  eat,  speaking  in  broken 
English.  Mrs.  Sage,  bein^  entirely 
alone,  immediately  obeyed  his  bidding, 
in  hopes  that  after  eating  he  would  go 
away.    But  in  this  she  was  disappointed , 


for  as  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  repast 
he  informed  her  that  he  lived  at  Grand 
River,  Canada,  and  that  he  had  come  af- 
ter her  to  go  with  him  as  his  squaw.  She 
replied  that  it  could  not  be,  as  she 
already  had  a  husband.  "  No !  no !  "  he 
angrily  exclaimed,  "you  very  pretty; 
you  must  be  my  squaw;  you  shall  go.'' 
In  vain  she  told  him  that  her  husband 
and  others  were  near  by  and  that  he 
had  better  go  way  or  else  he  might  get 
killed.  The  Indian  then  took  down 
Mr.  Sage's  gun  and, finding  it  unloaded, 
put  it  back  again.  He  then  ransacked 
the  house,  commanding  Mrs.  Sage  not 
to  leave  his  sight,  at  the  same  time 
keeping  his  eyes  upon  her.  He  took  aa 
much  as  he  could  carry  of  such  things 
as  he  mostly  desired,  and,  seizing  Mrs. 
Sage  forcibly  by  the  arm,  he  dragged 
her  out  of  the  back  door,  and  thence 
towards  the  woods,  in  the  direction  of 
Fort  Niagara,  at  that  time  occupied  by 
the  British.  The  husband  hearing  the 
screams  of  his  wife,  hurried  towards 
the  house,  seized  an  ax  which  was  lying 
at  the  door,  and  followed  in  pursuit. 
He  came  up  to  them  at  a  fence,  on  the 
border  of  the  forest.  Not  letting  go  his 
hold,  the  savage  fired  at  Mr.  Sage  as  he 
ran  towards  them.  But,  luckily,  the 
ball  did  not  take  effect,  and  just  as  the 
Indian  was  raising  his  victim  to  throw 
her  over  the  fence,  a  blow  from  the  ax 
broke  his  rifle  and  made  him  let  go  of 
Mrs.  Sage.  Hastily  consulting  his  own 
safety,  he  leaped  over  the  fence,  but 
while  doing  so  he  received  another  blow 
from  the  ax.  The  forest  resounded  with 
his  yells,  as  he  made  off  with  all  possible 
speed  into  the  thick  woods.  Mr.  Sage 
did  not  think  it  proper  to  pursue,  but 


110. 


returnino:  with  his  wife,  they  immedi- 
ately left  their  dangeroua  habitation 
for  a  place  of  safety. 

Mr.  William  Molyneaux,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Sage,  had  occupied  the  same  resi- 
dence the  winter  before,  but  he  and  his 
family  were  also  compelled  to  flee  to  a 
place  of  safety.  About  a  month  after 
he  returned,  and,  upon  entering  the 
house,  he  found  two  dead  Indians  lying 
upon  the  floor.  A  party  of  American 
soldiers  had  come  upon  them  unex- 
pectedly, while  they  were  carousing 
upon  the  good  fare  which  the  occupants 
had  left.  They  were,  no  doubt,  abroad 
for  murder  and  destruction,  and  met 
the  fate  which  they  intended  for  others. 
Mr.  Molyneaux  dragged  their  bodies 
from  the  house,  and  as  he  had  no  aid 
nor  time  to  bury  them, he  formed  around 
them  a  large  pile  of  logs  and  rails,  and, 
setting  fire  to  it,  they  were  con- 
sumed. The  British  Indians  consider- 
ed it  quite  an  affront,  and  threatened 
vengeance,  but  it  was  an  empty  threat, 
as  they  had  already  done  all  the  harm 
they  could. 


^  n^'^'^o^  Gscape, 


It  was  in  the  early  morning,  on  the 
19th  of  December,  1813,  the  weather 
being  cold,  and  the  bleak  winds  howl- 
ing, when  the  inhabitants  or  Lewiston 
were  aroused  from  their  quiet  slumbers 
and  compelled  to  leave  their  comforta- 
ble homes  and  flee  from  a  cruel  and  re- 


leutless  foe,  who  had  just  crossed  the 
river,  aud  was  spreading  death  and 
desolation  all  alon^:  the  border.  The 
roads  had  been  badly  broken  up,  aud 
were  frozen  in  a  state  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  proceed  with  wagons,  and,  there 
being  little  snow,  only  slow  i)rogress 
could  be  made  with  sleighs.  In  the  rear 
of  the  fugitives,  who  were  hastening 
with  all  possible  speed  along  the  Ridge 
Road,  was  a  two-horse  sleigh,  driven  by 
a  young  man  who  walked  beside  his 
horses.  In  the  sleigh  lay  his  brother, 
who  one  week  before  had  his  leg  ampu- 
tated just  below  the  knee.  He  was  in  a 
very  feeble  condition,  and  to  proceed 
rapidly,  rough  as  the  roads  then  were, 
would  have  been  death  to  him. 

Although  the  enemy  was  not  far  in 
the  rear,  there  was  no  alternative  but  to 
continue  the  moderate  pace  at  which 
they  were  moving.  The  driver,  who 
was  armed  with  a  trusty  rifle,  would 
frequently  cast  anxious  glances  behind 
him,  knowing  that  the  enemy  was  not 
far  in  the  rear.  At  length  the  war-whoop 
of  the  British  Indians,  with  its  accom- 
panying yells,  broke  iipon  his  ears. 
The"^  disabled  brother  besought  the 
other  to  leave  him  to  his  fate  and  flee 
for  his  life.  "  No,"  he  replied,  "if  we 
are  to  die,  we  will  perish  together." 
The  party  of  Indians  that  pursued  them 
was  in  full  sight  and  one,  far  in  advance 
of  the  others,  called  u[)ou  them  to  stop, 
making  threatening  gestures,  aud 
raising  his  rifie  as  if  to  shoot. 

With  the  same  slow  pace  the  horses 
proceeded,  and  the  driver  was  coolly 
collecting  himself  for  the  conflict,  in 
which  such  fearful  odds  were  against 
him.     The  Indian   sprang   forward  aud 


112. 

was  within  a  few  paces  of  the  sleigh, 
when  the  young  man,  suddenly 
turning  himself,  quickly  raised  his  rifle 
and  flred  upon  his  pursuer,  who  fell 
forward  a  corpse,  his  body  rolling  out 
of  the  road.  A  yell  of  vengeance,  from 
the  band  in  the  rear,  came  like  a  knell  of 
death  upon  the  ears  of  the  brothers.  At 
that  moment  a  band  of  friendly  Tusca- 
roras  were  seen  descending  the  adjacent 
hill,  and  the  well  directed  fire  which 
they  opened  on  the  British  Indians, 
obliged  the  latter  to  hastily  retire. 

The  driver  of  the  sleigh  was  the  late 
Hon.  Bates  Cook,  and  the  invalid  was 
the  late  Lathrop  Cook,  names  that  have 
been  familiar  household  words  for  many 
years. 


Gapt.\\)ebb's  Cast  Swim 


Capt,  Matthew  Webb,  the  famous 
English  swimmer,  made  the  attempt  to 
swim  through  the  Kapids  and  Whirl- 
pool of  Niagara  River  on  the  afternoon 
of  July  24th,  1883,  and  lost  his  life  in 
the  effort.  As  ho  had  publicly  announc- 
ed he  would  do,  Capt.  Webb  left  the 
Clifton  House,  on  the  Canada  side,  at  4 
o'clock,  and  proceeded  down  the  bank 
to  the  ferry  landing.  Here  he  stepped 
into  a  small  boat  manned  by  Jack  Mc- 
Cloy,  ferryman,  and  was  rowed  down  the 
river  to  opposite  the  old  Pleasure 
Grounds,  just  above  the  old  Maid  of 
the  Mist  landing.  At  4,25  he  jumped 
from  the  boat  into  the  river.     A  mo- 


meiit  later  he  rose  gracefully  to  the  sur- 
face aud,  swimmiuET  vrith  iufinite  ease 
and  power,  struck  boldly  out.  He  clear- 
ed the  water  with  strong  and  steady 
strokes,  swimming  on  his  breast  with 
his  head  clear  from  the  surface.  He 
kept  in  the  centre  of  the  stream  and  the 
strong  eddies  which  occasionally  swirl- 
ed past  him  seemed  in  no  way  to  im- 
pede or  swerve  him  from  his  course.  As 
he  approached  the  Railway  Suspension 
Bridge,  which  he  passed  at  5.33,  the  flow 
of  the  current  increased  with  remark- 
able rapidity.  There  were  about  two 
hundred  spectators  on  the  bridge  who 
saw  the  intrepid  swimmer  glide  towards 
them,  pass  beneath  them,  and  ere  they 
could  reach  the  north  side  of  the  struc- 
ture, he  was  fifty  yards  down  the  cur- 
reJit.  He  was  carried  along  as  fast  a« 
the  eye  could  follow  him.  With  speech- 
less wonder  and  fear  he  was  seen  to 
reach  the  first  furious  billows  of  the 
rapids.  Onward  he  sped  like  a  feather 
in  the  sea.  High  on  the  crest  of  a  huge 
billow  his  head  and  shoulders  gleamed 
for  an  instant  and  then  he  was  lost  in  a 
dark  abyss  of  turmoiling  water.  Again 
he  appeared,  his  arms  steadily  moving 
as  if  balancing  himself  for  a  plunge  into 
another  mighty  wave.  The  tumbling, 
rushing,  swirling  element  seemed  to 
give  forth  an  angry,  sullen  roar  as  if 
sounding  the  death  knell  of  the  ill-fated 
swimmer.  Once  more  away  down  the 
Rapids  he  was  seen  still  apparently  brav- 
ing fate  and  stemming  the  seething 
waters  with  marvelous  skill  and  endur- 
ance. Instead  of  being  whirled  hither 
and  thither  as  might  have  been  expect- 
ed he  was  carried  with  furious  rapidity 
onward   almost   in    a   straight  course. 


lU. 


For  nearlj''  a  mile  he  was  hurried  for- 
ward by  the  tumultuous  rushing?  waters 
and  still  he  seemed  to  be  ridiug  the  aw- 
ful billows  in  safety.  In  two  minutes 
after  he  had  passed  under  the  Suspen- 
sion Bridge  he  had  been  hurried 
through  the  terrible  llapids  and  arrived 
at  the  mouth  of  the  great  Whirlpool. 
Reaching  what  seemed  to  be  less 
troubled  and  dangerous  waters,  it  was 
said  by  some,  that  he  raised  his  head 
well  above  the  surface,  gazed  for  an 
instant  towards  the  American  side  and 
then  turned  his  face  to  the  high  blufl' 
on  the  Canadian  side.  A  second  later 
he  dived  or  sank  and  was  seen  no  more. 
But  Mr.  Oulhane,  of  the  Canadian  cus- 
toms force,  who  was  at  the  inclined  rail- 
way near  the  Whirpool,  when  Webb 
came  down  the  river,  with  a  couple  of 
boys  and  some  ladies,  says  that  he  and 
his  party  saw  Webb  distinctly  for  a 
minute  before  he  reached  the  Whirl- 
pool, and  they  were  confident  that  he 
was  either  dead  or  insensible  prior  to 
that  time.  As  the  body  approached  the 
Whirlpool,  the  head  seen^ed  to  be  hang- 
ing to  one  side,  and  the  body  appeared 
to  have  no  life  in  it.  Once  it  raised  a 
little  out  of  the  water  by  an  extra  eddy, 
but  fell  back  as  if  lifeless.  He  believes 
that  Webb  had  endurance  enough  to 
swim  a  long  distance,  but  was  buffetted 
to  death  by  the  pressure  of  tons  upon 
tons  of  water  in  the  Rapids.  Therefore 
he  must  have  been  killed  or  rendered 
insensible  ere  he  got  to  the  Whirlpool, 
into  which  he  was  without  doubt  drawn. 
The  rapidity  of  the  current  that  carried 
Webb  to  his  doom  may  be  gathered 
from  the  fact  that  it  only  took  two 
minutes  to  carry  him  from  the  bridge 


to  the  Wbirpool  fully  tbree-foiirths  of  a 
mile  distaut.  Notwithstandiug  the 
fact  that  Webb's  fatal  swim  was  wit- 
nessed by  a  large  number  of  people, 
much  doubt  was  expressed  as  to  wheth- 
er he  might  not  have  left  the  river 
alive  at  some  point  beyond  the 
observation  of  the  spectators.  All  un- 
certainty on  these  points  were,  however, 
removed  by  the  finding  of  Capt.  Webb's 
body  about  noon  on  Saturday,  July  28, 
1883,  four  days  after  his  disappearance, 
by  Richard  VV.  Turner,  of  Youngstown, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  below,  Lewiston. 
Capt.  Matthew  Webb  was  a  native  of 
England  and  35  years  of  age.  His  fath- 
er lives  in  Shropshier,  Eugland,  and 
there  were  13  children  in  the  family, 
eight  being  boys.  He  learned  to  swim 
when  eight  years  old,  being  encouraged 
in  his  ventures  by  his  father.  While 
yet  a  mere  youth,  he  ran  away  to  sea, 
and  during  his  career  before  the  mast 
became  famous  for  his  swimming  feats, 
several  of  which  were  performed  in 
saving  human  life.  In  1872,  while  in 
South  Africa,  he  won  his  first  laurels  as 
a  public  swimmer,  and  in  a  year  follow- 
ing received  a  purse  of  $500  from  the 
passengers  of  the  steamer  Russia  and  a 
medal  from  the  humane  society  of  Lon- 
don for  saving  the  life  ot  a  sailor  who 
was  washed  overboard.  The  achieve- 
ment that  gave  him  international  fame 
was  swimming  the  English  channel 
naked  and  without  aid  of  any  kind,  on 
which  occasion  he  was  in  the  water 
from  1  p.  M.  to  11  A.  M.  the  next  day. 
When  he  was  dragged  out  of  the  water 
at  the  close  of  this  exploit  he  was  pre- 
sented with  $25,000  by  the  Prince  of 
Wales.     On    one    occasion    he     swam 


116. 

from  Sandy  Hook  to  Manhatten  Beach 
during  a  storm  that  drove  vessels  into 
the  harbor.  In  July,  1882,  he  beat 
Wade  at  Coney  Island  lor  the  Ameri- 
can championship  and  at  different  times 
has  performed  wonderful  feats  in  the 
water,  of  which  no  record  has  been 
made.  He  made  his  home  in  Bos- 
ton, where  his  wife,  also  of  English 
birth  and  but  a  few  years  a  resident  in 
America,  and  two  children  were  at  the 
time  of  liis  untimely  death.  Never 
were  physical  prowess  and  courage 
worse  applied  than  in  the  brave  fellow's 
last  adventure,  which,  even  if  success- 
ful, would  have  been  oi  no  pratical 
service  to  the  world.  Captain  Webb 
seemed  to  have  realized  the  danger  of 
his  undertaking,  for  in  an  interview  he 
is  reported  to  have  said:  ''  The  current, 
they  say,  runs  thirty  miles  an  hour, 
and  the  river  is  ninety- live  feet  deep. 
It  is  wide  just  below  the  fall  and  nar- 
rows at  the  rapids.  I  am  only  afraid  of 
the  two  awful  ledges  of  rocks  which 
jut  out  from  the  shores  into  the  Whirl 
pool.  The  water  fairly  shrieks  and 
hisses  as  it  boils  over  them.  Now,  I 
want  to  avoid  the  sides,  and  yet  I  dare 
not  go  in  the  middle,  for  there  lies  the 
vortex,  and  that  means  death.  I  will  go 
out  into  the  river  in  a  small  boat  just 
above  the  Suspension  Bridge.  The 
only  clothing  I  shall  wear  will  be  the 
silk  trunks  I  had  on  when  I  swam  tbe 
English  channel.  At  the  time  appoint- 
ted  I  will  leap  into  the  river  and  float 
into  the  rapids.  Of  course  I  will  make 
no  attempt  to  go  forward,  for  the  fear- 
ful speed  of  the  water  will  carry  me 
through.  When  the  water  gets  bad  I 
will  go  under  the  surface  and   remain 


beneath  until  I  am  compelled  to  come 
up  for  breath.  That  will  be  pretty- 
often,  I'll  wa^er.  When  I  strike  the 
Whirlpool  I  will  strike  out  with  all  my 
strength,  and  try  and  keep  away  from 
the  suckhole  in  the  centre.  I  will  begin 
with  breast  strokes  and  then  use  over- 
hand strokes.  My  life  will  then  depend 
upon  my  mucles  and  my  breath,  with  a 
little  touch  of  science  behind  them.  It 
may  take  me  two  or  three  hours  to  j?et 
out  of  the  Whirlpool  which  is  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  loufr.  When  I  do  get 
through  I  will  try  and  land  on  the  Can- 
adian side,  but  if  the  current  is  too 
strong  and  swift,  as  I  think  it  is,  I  will 
keep  on  down  to  Lewiston  on  the  Amer- 
ican side."  Captain  Webb's  body  now 
lies  in  Oakwood  Cemetery  at  Niagara 
Falls,  N.  Y.,  near  the  grave  of  Francis 
Abbott,  where  it  was  buried  July  Slst, 
1883,  in  the  presence  of  his  wife  and 
numerous  spectators,  a  small  but  beau- 
ti  fill  monument  marking  his  last  resting 
place. 


The    **0ld*'    Suspension 
Bridge, 


As  this  was  the  tirst  Railway  Suspen- 
sion Bridge  that  was  ever  built  in  the 
world,  a  brief  history  of  its  construc- 
tion can  not  fail  to  be  of  some  interest 
to  the  reading  public. 

For  many  years  the  barrier  which  the 
Niagara  Hiver  chasm  at  this  point,  two 


118. 

miles  below  the  falls,  placed  between 
Canada  and  the  States  had  been  regard- 
ed as  an  obstacle  which  should  be  sur- 
mounted, and  on  April  23, 184G,  the  pres- 
ent Suspension  Bridge  Co.  received 
its  American  charter,  and  on  June  9th, 
of  the  same  year,  it  received  its  Cana- 
dian charter.  In  1847  the  company  or- 
ganized with  the  following  directors  : 

American  Directors  — Wash.  Hunt, 
Lot  Clark,  Samuel  DeVeaux,  George 
Field,  L.  Spaulding,  I.  C.  Coltou,  and 
Charles  Evans. 

Canadian  Directors— W.  H.  Merritt, 
Thomas  C.  Street,  James  Cunningham, 
Charles  B.  Stewart,  James  Oswald, 
Samuel  Zimmerman  and  William  O. 
Buchannan. 

The  work  on  the  bridge  was  commenc- 
ed in  February,  1848,  by  Charles  Elliet, 
Jr.  The  first  connection  between  the 
two  cliffs  was  made  by  a  boy  named 
Homan  Walsh  flying  a  kite,  for  which 
he  received  five  dollars,  across  and 
thereby  spanning  the  gorge  with  a  small 
string.  Later  a  cord  was  drawn  over, 
next  a  rope,  and  so  on  until  one  of  suffi- 
cient strength  had  been  secured  to  draw 
over  an  iron  cable  of  36  strands  No,  10 
wire.  Two  small  wooden  towers  having 
been  erected  one  on  each  bank,  the 
wire  cable,  1160  feet  long,  was  hauled 
across  the  chasm,  and  on  the  13th  of 
March,  1848,  Mr.  Elliet  and  others  cross- 
ed in  an  iron  basket  suspended  from  the 
cable. 

This  basket  was  made  and  designed 
by  Judge  T.  (Jr.  Hulett  of  this  citj'  to 
aid  in  the  construction  of  the  suspension 
bridge  across  the  gorge.  This  basket 
was  made  of  strips  of  baud  iron  from 
one  inch  to  one  and  one-half  inches  in 


y>^idth  and  fastened  with  rivets.  At 
eitlier  end  it  was  considerably  higher 
than  in  the  center.  There  was  a  seat  at 
either  end,  their  depth  being  about  two 
feet.  The  manner  in  which  its  shai)e 
was  decided  upon  is  interesting.  Judge 
Hulett  and  General  Eliiet  tirst  met  at 
the  old  Eagle  Tavern  in  December, 
184:7,  during  the  time  Thomas  W.  Fan- 
ning Avas  proprietor.  In  the  course  of 
a  conversation  upon  the  great  work  that 
General  Eiliet  had  the  contract  tor,  the 
question  of  establishing  communication 
between  the  banks  by  means  of  a  cable 
and  basket  was  discussed  and  recogniz- 
ed as  possible. 

The  question  then  arose  whether  the 
basket  should  be  of  wood  or  iron.  The 
tirst  named  material  was  the  choice  of 
Eiliet,  while  Judge  Hulett  favored  the 
latter.  The  matter  of  weight  was  an  im- 
portant fact,  and  in  calculations  which 
followed  upon  the  plans  of  both  men  it 
was  found  that  a  basket  constructed 
from  Judge  Hulett's  plan  would  be  10 
pounds  ligiiter  than  one  of  wood,  and  it 
was  adopted  The  form  of  the  basket 
was  quickly  decided  by  Judge  Hulett 
and  General  Eliiett  arising  from  the- 
rocking  chairs  in  which  they  had  been 
sitting  and  drawing  them  together, 
''there  is  the  form  of  the  basket,"  said 
Judge  Hulett.  The  basket  proved  a 
source  of  considerable  revenue,  as  the 
charge  for  transportation  over  and  back 
was  $1  for  each  person,  and  some  days 
as  high  as  $125  were  taken. 

The  basket  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  Buiialo  Historical  Society. 

A  foot-bridge,  three  feet  in  width, 
was  soon  constructed,  and  over  this  a 
great  number  of  perons  passed  daily, 


120. 


each  payiug  25  cents  to  the  contractor. 
A  similar  foot-bridge  was  now  formtd 
parallel  to  this,  and  the  basket  cable 
m  the  middle. 

A  territic  scene  occurred  just  about 
this  time.  While  the  workmen  were 
engaged  on  the  second  foot-bridge, 
which  was  constructed  about  250  feet 
from  the  American  shore,  and  about  150 
feet  from  the  British  side,  a  tornado 
from  the  southwest,  struck  it,  turning 
it  quite  over.  !Six  men  were  at  work  on 
the  flooring  of  the  bridge  at  this  awful 
moment,  two  of  whom  in  a  most  unac- 
countable manner  made  their  way  to  the 
shore  upon  fragments  of  boards.  The 
uutinished  structure  was  torn  and  wafted 
backwards  and  forwards  like  the  broken 
web  of  a  spider,  and  four  helpless  hu- 
man beings,  200  feet  from  the  shore, 
supported  by  two  strands  of  No.  10  wire, 
were  in  constant  expectation  of  a  head- 
long plunge  into  the  rapids  below.  OhI 
who  can  fathom  those  men's  thonghts 
just  then  ?  But  the  tiny  thread  which 
held  them  to  existence,  proved  strong 
enough  to  outlast  the  gale.  On 
the  first  cessation  of  the  storm's  force 
a  brave  fellow  workman  manned  the 
iron  basket,  and  with  a  ladder  proceed- 
ed among  the  pelting  of  the  furious 
rain  to  save  the  sufterers.  He  reached 
the  wreck,  placed  his  ladder  in  com- 
munication with  it  and  the  basket  thus 
affording  a  means  by  which  all  were 
brought  back  safe  to  terra  lirma,  unin- 
jured in  person,  but  well  nigh  scared  to 
death. - 

On  the  26th  of  July  following,  Mr. 
Elliet  drove  a  span  of  horses  and  a 
heavy  carraige  over  and  back,  accom- 
panied by  his  lady. 


Tliis  was  the  first  bridge  built  across 
Niagara  River  and  was  completed  iu 
1848,  In  1853  the  present  railroad 
bridge  was  commenced  and  it  was  com- 
pleted in  the  spring  of  1855.  The  tirsD 
railway  train  passed  over  it  March  23rd, 
1^55. 

The  building  of  a  suspension  bridge 
for  the  purposes  for  which  this  one  is 
used,  was  considered  an  experiment 
when  it  was  projected,  and  many  well 
known  engineers  predicted  its  failure. 
Its  founders,however,had  faith  in  its  able 
engineer,  John  A.  Roebliug,  who  sup- 
erintended its  building  and  carried  it  to 
completion. 

The  cost  of  the  first  wagon  bridge 
was  about  #60,000;  that  of  the  railway 
structure  about  15450,000. 

Many  improvements  have  been  made 
within  the  past  few  years  which  have 
added  a  large  additional  expense.  All 
of  the  woodwork,  except  the  floor,  has 
been  removed  and  rei)laced  by  iron. 
The  massive  stone  towers  have  given 
way  to  steel,  so  that  the  bridge  was 
greatly  beautified  as  well  as  strengthen- 
ed by  the  change. 

This  is  perhaps  the  strongest  bridge 
of  its  kind  in  the  world,  and  not  only 
does  it  present  a  good  view  of  the  falls, 
but  also  of  the  rapids  below  the  bridge. 
Under  the  superiutendance  of  Mr. 
Thomas  Reynolds  this  bridge  is  so  well 
taken  care  of  that  a  person  feels  as  safe 
on  it  as  he  would  on  the  solid  ground. 
The  following  are  the  dimensions  of  the 
railway  bridge : 

Length  of  span  from  center  to  cen- 
ter of  towers 832  feet. 

Height  of  tower  above  I'ock  on 
American  Shore 88  " 


122. 

Heif?ht  of   Tower   above  rock   on 

Canadian  Shore 78  Icet. 

Height   of   tower   above   lloor   of 

railway :  GO     '' 

Height  of  track  above  water 258     " 

Number  of  wire  cables 4 

Diameter  of  each  cable 103^  in . 

No.  of  No.  9  wires  in  each  cable  —    3,659 
Ultimate    aggregate     strength    of 

cables 12,400  tons. 

Weight  of  superstructure 800 

Weight  of  superstructure  and  max- 
imum loads 1,350      " 

Maximum  weight  cables  and  stays 
will  support '7,ri09      " 

Ou  the  lOtb  of  October,  18;H,  dnrin^ 
the  construction  of  the  railway  bridge, 
a  scafiokl,  ni)on  wbich  four  men  were  at 
work,  gave  way,  precipitating  two  of 
tbeiii  into  the  gorge  below,  who  struck 
the  rocks  and  rolled  into  the  river, 
while  two  caught  onto  the  cables.  From 
this  place  they  were  rescued  by  Wil- 
liam Ellis,  who  bravely  offered  his  ser- 
vices when  volunteers  were  called  for  to 
go  to  their  rescue,  and  for  which  service 
he  received  $25. 

The  fare  for  foot  passengers  is  10 
cents  over  and  back  if  returning  the 
same  day. 


Gcintilever  I^ridge, 


About  300  feet  above  the  old  suspen- 
sion bridge  is  the  great  cantilever 
bridge.  This  is  a  double  track  railroad 
bridge  designed  to  connect  the  New 
York  Central  and  Michigan  Central 
Railroads,  The  designs  of  this  struc- 
ture were  worked  out  jointly  by  C.  0. 
Schneider,  chief  engineer  in  charge  of 


the  work,  and  Edward  Hayes,  engineer 
of  the  Central  Bridge  Works. 

The  structure  consists  of  two  immense 
steel  towers,  139  feet  Gh  inches  high, 
resting  on  stone  piers  39  feet  high. 
Each  of  these  tower&^  supports  a  canti- 
lever 595  feet  5|  inches  long.  The  shore 
ends  of  the  cantilevers  are  anchored  to 
the  abutment  masonry  or  anchorage 
piers,  and  both  river  arms  are  connect- 
ed by  an  intermediate  span  of  120  feet 
which  is  suspended  from  the  extreme 
ends  of  the  river  arms. 

The  total  length  of  the  bridge  proper 
is  910  feet  4|  inches  between  the  centers 
of  the  anchorage  piers;  tlie  clear  span 
between  towers  being  470  feet.  The 
height  from  the  sufface  of  the  water  to 
base  of  rail  is  239  feet. 

The  first  engine  that  ever  passed  over 
this  bridge  was  the  pony  engine  of 
Superintendent  Burrows.  They  enter- 
ed upon  the  bridge  precisely  at  11. 13  on 
the  6th  day  of  December,  1883, and  moved 
forward  quite  slowly,  and  were  two  min- 
utes in  crossing  tiie  bridge  proper. 
Running  close  to  the- edge  on  the  Cana- 
dian shore,  where  a  stop  of  some  five 
minutes  was  made,  when  the  party  re- 
turned to  this  side  in  quicker  time. 
The  final  test  was  made  on  the  20th  day 
of  the  same  month,  when  20  heavy  en- 
gines and  40  loaded  cars  were  run  upon 
the  bridge  at  once. 


124. 


Ylevo  Suspension  I^ridge, 


About  oDe-eiglitli  of  a  mile  below  the 
falls  is  a  carriage  and  foot  bridge, ^built 
by  American  and  Canadian  capitalists. 
Tills  bridge  was  built  of  iron  and  wood 
and  was  completed  in  1868,  and  was 
opened  for  tratHc  Jan.  2,  1869.  This 
bridge  stood  the  brunt  of  some  terrible 
gales  in  safety  for  a  number  of  years. 
It  was  afterwards  remodeled  and  be- 
came practically  new.  New  steel  tow- 
ers, anchor  pits,  iron  girders,  needle 
beams,  suspenders,  guys,  a  widened 
wooden  road-way,  iron  railings  and 
other  improvements  that  made  it  more 
than  ever,  as  it  was  believed,  thorough- 
ly proof  against  any  assault  of  the  ele- 
ments. But  hardly  had  it  been  com- 
pleted before  the  deatroyer  came. 

What  proved  to  be  a  most  disastrous 
gale  begau  to  show  its  teetb  on  the  af- 
ternoon of  the  ninth  of  January  1889, 
and  gradually  increased  its  force  until 
it  gained  during  the  night  a  velocity  of 
about  100  miles  an  hour.  Trees,  fences, 
outbuildings  and  numerous  other 
things  readily  succumbed  to  this  ter- 
rific gale,  and  finally  this  beautiful 
structure  itself  yielded  to  the  force  of 
the  wind  and  dropped  into  the  gorge 
below. 

The  bridge  must  have  fallen  about 
3  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  10th. 
None  of  the  bridge  or  customs  officials 
knew  j  ust  when  it  fell,  and  it  was  not 
until  after  daylight  that  the  full  disas- 
ter became  known.  The  steel  towers, 
the  four  great  cables,  the  anchorages 
and  a  lot  of  suspenders  were  still    iu 


place.  Sections  of  tlie  roadway  lay  at  the 
bottom  of  the  banks  on  either  side  of 
the  river,  but  by  far  the  larger  portion 
had  dropi>ed  into  the  river  and  sank  to 
the  bottom. 

Although  no  eye  saw  the  disaster, 
yet,  at  least,  two  men  crossed  the  bridge 
just  before  the  bridge  went  down.  Dr. 
J.  \V.  Hodge,  who  had  been  called  to 
Canada  about  10  o'clock,  and  on  his 
return  to  the  American  side  about  mid- 
night, received  such  an  experience  that 
he  never  will  forget.  He  said  that  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  make  his  way 
across.  The  movement  of  the  bridge 
was  indicative  of  broken  stays,  and  as  it 
rose  and  fell  in  undulating  swells  and 
then  seemed  to  drop  bodily  many  feet, 
and  the  Doctor  thought  the  roadway 
would  certainly  break  from  the  cables. 
It  is  said  that  a  man  crossed  over  to 
Canada,  yet  later,  and  had  to  creep 
over  on  his  hands  and  knees. 

Tlie  length  of  this  bridge,  from  shore 
to  shore,  is  1208  ft.  The  length  of  cables 
between  anchorages  is  1828  feet.  The 
height  of  bridge  above  the  water,  is  190 
feet.     Its  towers  are  100  feet  high. 

While  the  bridge  was  being  rebuilt 
the  following  fatal  accident  occurred  : 
About  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
the  18th  of  April,  1889,  an  Italian  named 
James  Mundi  started  from  the  Canadian 
end  with  a  box  of  bolts  for  workmen 
some  distance  out.  He  carried  the  box 
on  his  shoulder,  distributing  as  he  went, 
but  when  he  got  some  distance  from  the 
Canadian  shore  he  lost  his  balance  and 
fell  into  the  river  below,  a  distance  of 
175  feet.  Strangely  enough  the  fall  did 
not  kill  him,  though  one  arm  was  seen 
to    be  useless,   he  struck  out    for   the 


126. 


shore.  Planks  were  thrown  from  the 
bridge  for  his  assistance,  but  proved  of  no 
avail.  A  boat  started  for  him  but  be- 
fore it  could  reach  him  the  poor  fellow 
sank  and  was  seen  no  more. 


♦ 


The  Lewiston  bridge  was  commenced 
in  1849,  and  finished  in  1850.  Capt. 
Edward  Sorrell  was  its  chief  engineer 
and  Thomas  M.  Griffith  assistant  engi- 
neer. The  total  length  of  cables  was 
1,21:5  feet  and  distance  between  the  tow- 
ers 1,040  feet.  The  bridge  was  support- 
ed by  10  cables,  five  on  each  side,  and 
the  strength  of  the  bridge  Avas  estimated 
at  about  835  tons.  It  had  a  roadway  20 
feet  wide,  giving  amjile  room  tor  teams 
to  pass  and  also  for  a  footway.  It  v>^as 
blown  down  by  a  wind  storm  on  April 
IGth,  18G4,  under  peculiar  circumstan- 
ces. Some  time  previous  there  occur- 
red a  big  ice  jam,  and  the  ice  rose  high 
enough  to  fasten  onto  the  guys  and 
those  in  charge  of  the  structure  fearing 
that  when  the  ice  went  out  it  would, 
carry  the  bridge  with  it,  the  guys  were 
taken  up  on  the  bridge.  The  ice  passed 
out  without  doing  any  injur^^  and  there 
was  a  week  or  more  of  good  weather 
during  which  the  bridge  was  used  as 
usual.  But  the  bridge  superintendent 
neglected  to  replace  the  guys  and  the 
wind  carried  it  away  as  abv^ve  stated. 
There  were  two  persons  on  the  bridge 
when  the  wind  began  to  sway  it  prev- 


ions  to  its  fall,  but  they  escaped  without 
injury.  The  capital  stock  was  $60,000— 
$30,000  American  and  $30,000  Canadian 
— but  the  American  side  cost  the  most 
owing  to  the  towers  being  somewhat 
higher  aud  were  built  of  Lockport  cut 
stone.  The  Canadian  towers  were 
built  of  stone  from  the  Queenstou 
quarries  nearby  aud  were  less  expensive. 
The  old  company  sold  out  its  franchise, 
bridge,  land  and  approaches  thereto  to 
Theodore  Irwin  of  Oswego,  Sam  Sloan 
of  New  York,  aud  their  associates,  the 
directors  of  the  R.,  W.  &  O.  No  effort 
was  ever  made  to  rebuild  the  structure 
and  the  cables  and  other  parts  of  the 
wreck  hang  suspended  over  the  river  to 
this  day.  An  old  report  says  that  some 
years  ago  a  desperate  criminal  climbed 
over  the  cables  hanging  over  the  river, 
and  escaped  into  Canada  from  officers 
who  w^ere  in  pursuit.  A  short  time  ago 
a  young  man  attempted  to  give  an  exhi- 
bition in  walking  across  and  fell  into 
the  water.     He  escaped  with  a  ducking. 


TVtaid  of  the  TVlist, 


The  Maid  of  the  Mist  was  a  staunch 
little  steamer  of  about  110  tons  burden, 
built  in  1854,  (the  first  Maid  of  the 
Mist  was  built  in  1846)  and  was  employ- 
ed in  carrying  pleasure  parties  Irom  her 
landing,  which  was  a  little  above  the 
Railway  Suspension  Bridge,  to  the 
falls  aud  back.  It  being  employed  in 
this  capacity  for  a  number  of  years,  her 
owner  conceived   the  idea  of  running: 


128. 

ber  through  the  rapids  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  her  clear  of  a  certain  mort- 
gage to  which  she  was  subject  while  in 
the  locality  she  then  was.  For  this 
purpose  he  engaged  two  sailors  who 
were  used  to  running  the  rapids  in  the 
Bt.  Lawrence  river, but  when  the  day 
came  for  them  to  run  down  the  Niagara 
their  courage  failed  them  and  they 
refused  to  go,  so  Mr.  Joel  R.  Robinson 
was  appealed  to  and  he  agreed  to  act  as 
pilot  for  this  fearful  voyage.  Mr. 
Jones,  the  engineer,  consented  to  go 
with  him,  and  Mr.  Mclutyre,  a  machin- 
ist, volunteered  his  services. 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
on  the  sixth  day  of  June,  1861,  these 
three  men  went  on  board  of  the  boat. 
Jones  took  his  place  in  the  hold  and 
Mclntyre  joined  Robinson  in  the  wheel 
house,  Robinson  took  his  place  at  the 
wheel.  Self-possed  and  calm,  he  pulled 
the  bell  which  was  the  signal  anxiously 
waited  for  by  the  engineer,  which  was 
to  start  them  on  their  perilous  journey. 
With  a  shreik  from  her  whistle  and 
the  sound  of  escaping  steam  she  started 
up  the  stream  for  a  little  waj^s,  then 
turning  she  took  her  course  down  the 
river.  Many  who  saw  her  thought  that 
the  courage  of  the  intrepid  Robinson 
would  fail  and  that  he  would  turn  again 
before  reaching  the  rapids  below  the 
bridge,  but  on  she  rushed  like  a  thing 
of  life  with  her  crew  of  brave  hearts, 
and  shot  like  an  arrow,  as  many  suppos- 
ed into  the  very  jaws  of  death.  When 
about  a  third  of  the  way  dowu-«<Pl9  the 
Whirlpool  Rapids  she  was  engulfed 
beneath  the  mighty  waters,  her  smoke- 
stack was  carried  away  and  part  of  her 
dock  stove  in,  Mr.  Robinson  was  thrown 


flat  on  bis  back  and  Mr.  Mclut.vre  was 
thrown  against  the  wheel  house  with 
such  force  as  to  break  it  through,  while 
Jones  went  down  on  his  knees  before 
the  glowing  furnace,  and,  as  he  after- 
wards said,  a  more  earnest  prayer  never 
was  uttered.  To  that  prayer  he  attrib- 
utes their  salvation  from  a  watery 
grave.  But  emerging  from  her  fearful 
baptism  she  rushed  on  at  the  mercy  of 
the  waves  until  she  reached  the  smooth 
water  in  the  Whirlpool  on  the  American 
side  where  for  the  iirst  time  since  enter- 
ing this  tremendous  current  Mr.  Robin- 
sou  again  got  her  under  his  control. 
Taking  a  short  turn  to  the  right  she 
again  struck  for  the  middle  of  the  river 
to  battle  with  the  mighty  waves.  Start- 
ling the  denizens  of  the  neighboring 
banks  by  the  shrieks  of  her  whistle  and 
fighting  her  way  through  the  rapids 
passing  the  Devil's  Hole,  she  entered 
the  more  placid  water  at  Lewiston,  a 
triumphant  conqueror,  in  17^  minutes 
from  the  time  she  passed  under  the 
railway  suspension  bridge. 

Thus  was  performed  one  of  the  most 
daring  feats  on  record,  and  many  per- 
sons enquire  how  it  was  possible  for 
them  to  get  through  these  tremendous 
waters  without  getting  lost.  The  an- 
swer invariably  is  :      "I  don't  know." 

This  can  not  be  called  a  foolhardy 
feat,  for  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  very  cool 
and  heroic  man.  He  had  at  various 
times  navigated  the  rapids  above  the 
falls,  when  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
do  so  for  the  purpose  of  saving  life; 
and  he  had  full  confidence  in  himself 
that  he  could  guide  the  little  "Maid" 
through  this  river  of  breakers  and  land 
her  safely  in  the  smooth   waters  below. 


130. 

But  he  fonncl  the  water  rougher  than  he 
had  anticipated.  And  to  the  public  eye 
it  was  simply  luck  and  chance  that  the 
voyage  terminated  ao  fortunately.  As 
an  instance  of  the  coolness  of  Mr. 
Robinson  during  this  hasty  trip,  we 
would  simply  say,  that,  when  Mr  Mcln- 
tyre  was  thrown  against  the  wheel 
house,  for  some  reason  or  other  he  was 
unable  to  arise,  so  Mr.  Robinson  put 
his  foot  gently  on  his  breast  to  keep 
him  from  rolling  to  and  fro  and  thus 
held  him  until  the  end  of  the  journey. 
This  trip  had  a  decided  effect  upon  Mr. 
Robinson,  and  some  attribute  his  death 
to  this  cause,  but  this  is  not  true,  for  the 
disease  which  terminated  his  life  was 
contracted  at  New  Orleans  some  time 
after. 


Joel   R,   Robinson. 


Joel  R.  Robinson  was  born  in  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  on  the  27th  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1808,  and  at  an  early  date  came  to 
Niagara  Falls,  which  place  he  made  his 
home  until  his  death.  As  a  navigator 
of  the  rapids  he  had  no  equal,  and 
whenever  it  became  necessary  to  rescue 
a  human  being  from  the  jaws  of  those 
fearful  waters,  Robinson  was  always 
ready  to  render  all  the  aid  in  his 
power. 

In  the  summer  of  1838,  while  some 
repairs  were  being  made  on  the  bridge 
leading  from  the  main  shore  to  Bath 
Island,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Chapin 
fell  from  the  bridge  and  lodged  on  a 


small  island  below.  This  island  which 
is  hardly  more  than  30  feet  square  is 
covered  with  a  few  everj^reen  trees  and 
bears  his  name,  who,  in  all  probability , 
was  its  tirst  occupant.  All  eyes  were 
turned  on  Robinson,  as  the  only  one 
who  could  rescue  the  man  from  his  per- 
ilous position.  Robinson  launched  his 
boat  from  the  foot  of  Bath  Island,  pick- 
ing his  wny  skillfull^'  and  cautiously 
through  the  rapids  to  the  little  island, 
took  Chapin  and  brought  him  safely  to 
shore. 

The  next  instance  we  have  of  saving 
life  we  copy  from  the  work  of  G.  W, 
Hawley  :,  "In  the  summer  of  1841,  a  Mr. 
Allen  started  for  Chippawa  in  a  boat, 
just  before  sunset.  Being  anxious  to 
get  across  before  dark,  he  ai)plied 
his  oars  with  such  vigor  that  one  of 
them  was  broken  when  he  was  about 
opposite  the  middle  Sister,  With  the 
remaining  oar  he  tried  to  reach  the 
head  of  Goat  Island.  The  current, 
however,  set  too  strongly  towards  the 
great  Canadian  Rapids  and  his  only 
hope  was  to  reach  the  outer  Sister. 
Nearing  this  and  not  being  able  to  run 
his  boat  on  it,  he  sprang  out,  and,  being 
a  good  swimmer,  by  a  vigorous  effort 
succeeded  in  getting  on  it.  Certain  of 
having  a  lonely,  if  not  a  quite  unpleas- 
ant night,  and  being  the  fortunate  pos- 
sessor of  two  stray  matches,  he  lighted 
a  fire  and  solaced  himself  with  his 
thoughts  and  his  pipe.  Next  morning, 
taking  offhis  red  flannel  shirt,  he  raised 
a  signal  of  distress.  Towards  noon  the 
unusual  smoke  and  red  flag  attracted 
attention.  The  situation  was  soon  as- 
certained and  Robinson  informed  of  it. 
Not    long    after    a    little      red      skiff 


132. 

was  carried  across  Goat  Island  aud 
laiiuched  iu  the  channel  just  below 
Moss  Islands.  Eobinson  then  pulled 
himself  across  to  the  middle  Sister  and 
tried  iu  vain  to  find  a  point  where  he 
could  cross  to  the  outer  one. 
Approachiu<2:  darkness  compelled  him 
to  suspend  operations.  He  rowed  back 
to  Goat  Island,  procured  some  refresh- 
ments, returned  to  the  middle  Sister, 
threw  them  across  to  Allen  aud  then 
left  him  to  his  second  night's  solitude. 
The  next  day  Robinson  took  with  him 
two  lon^,  light,  but  stronjj;  cords,  with  a 
proi)erly  shaped  pitce  of  lead  weij^hing 
about  a  pound.  Tying  the  lead  to  one 
of  the  lines  he  threw  it  across  to  Allen. 
He  then  fastened  the  other  eud  of  Al- 
len's line  to  the  bow  of  the  skiff;  and 
attaching  his  own  cord  to  the  boat  also, 
he  shoved  it  oflt.  Allen  drew  it  too  him- 
self, got  into  it,  pushed  off,  and  llobin- 
son  drew  him  to  where  he  stood  on  the 
middle  island.  Then  seating  Allen  in 
the  stern  of  the  skiff  he  returned  across 
the  rapids  to  Goat  Island,  where  both 
were  assisted  up  the  bank  by  the  spec- 
tators, and  the  little  craft,  too,  which 
seemed  almost  as  much  of  a  hero  and  as 
great  a  favorite  with  the  crowd  as  Rob- 
inson himself." 

This  was  the  second  individual  rescu- 
ed by  Robinson  from  islands  which  had 
been  considered  totally  inaccessible. 
It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  there 
was  not  another  man  on  the  globe  that 
could  have  saved  Chapin  and  Alien  as 
he  did.  His  laurels  as  "  Navigator- of 
the  Rapids"  can  never  fade  or  decay. 
They  are  made  perenial  by  the  gener- 
ous motives  aud  humane  acts  through 
which  they  were  won. 

Joel  R.  Robinson  died  June  30,  1863. 


Index. 


Page. 

The  Nia?:ara  River 3 

The  Griffin 4 

The  Old  8toue  Chimney 6 

The  Campaign  of  1759 9 

Indian  Strategy 10 

Devil's  Hole  Massacre 12 

Tuscarora  Reservation. 14 

The  War  of  1812 16 

The  Surrender  of  Hull 17 

A  Naval  Engagement 18 

The  battle  of  Queenstou  Heights 20 

Capture  of  Fort  George 30 

Battle  of  Stony  Creek 35 

Heroine  Laura  Secord 38 

A  General  Campaign 42 

British  Cross  the  Border 45 

Perry  on  Lake  Erie 47 

American  Citizens  Impressed 48 

The  Army  Disciplined 52 

Capture  of  Fort  Erie 55 

The  Battle  of  Chippawa 55 

Battle  of  Lundy's  Lane 61 

Drum niond  at  Fort  Erie 71 

Sortie  from  Fort  Erie 73 

Resume 75 

Burning  of  the  Caroline 76 

The  Hermit  of  Niagara 84 

Avery  on  the  Log 91 

Pierce's  Novel  Brigade..  106 

An  Indian  Adventure 108 

A  Narrow   Escape 110 

Capt.  Webb's  Last  Swim 112 

The  "Old"  Suspension  Bridge 117 

Cantilever  Bridge 122 

New  Suspension  Bridge 124 

Lewistou  Bridge 126 

Maid  of  the  Mist 127 

Joel  R.  Robinson 130 


To    Sportsmen. 

Persons  Wishing  for 

A  Good  Day's  Sport 

Cannot  do  better  than  tnkc  a  trip  to  the 
ancient  and  beautiful  village  of 

•  LEWIST0N  • 

Situated  at  the  head  of  navig-ation  on  the  low- 
er Niagara,  where 

Fish  are  in  Abundance. 


And  the  facilities  for  catching  are 
ample  and  convenient.  There  are  no 
dangerous  rapids  to  be  drawn  into  and 
hurried  over  a  mighty  fall  Avhile  fish- 
ing, but  the  stream  is  placid  and  still. 

Boats  and  All  Kinds  of  Fishing 
Tackle  can  be  Obtained 


flinEKIGflU  HOTEL, 

An  old  and  well  established  house. 

H-  G.  Cornell,  Prop,, 


Will  spare  no  pains  to  please  all  who 
give  him  a  call. 


UCSOUTHERN^jgii 


J"000  008  292    5 


